Chapter 19: Advanced skills for pregnancy and birth
How to give an injection
In this book, we
Prepare the syringe and needle
There are 2 kinds of syringes: reusable and
disposable. The reusable ones must be taken apart,
use this picture
with any medicine
that should be injected.
cleaned, and sterilized before each use (see page 66). The disposable kind come in
sterile packages. If the sterile package is dry and unbroken, the syringe and needle
can be used directly out of the package. They do not need to be sterilized first.
Sometimes you can use a disposable syringe and needle several times, but
you must sterilize them before each use.
needle
syringe
hub barrel
bottom
plunger
There are also disposable syringes that cannot be reused. Sometimes these
syringes come with a dose of medicine already inside. These may be called
autodisabled syringes.
WAR NING! After a syringe and needle have been sterilized,
never touch the needle with your fingers or let anything else
touch the needle. If you do, it will not be sterile anymore. Only
touch the outside of the barrel or the plunger of the syringe.
Draw up the medicine
Injectable medicines come in 3 forms:
In a small bottle called an ampule. You must break off the top
of an ampule to get the medicine.
As a liquid in a small bottle with a lid. You push the needle
through a soft spot in the lid to get the medicine.
As a powder in a bottle with a lid. You must add sterile water
to these medicines.
An ampule usually contains the right amount of medicine for 1 dose. Bottles
usually contain enough for several doses. The barrel of the syringe has markings
to show how much medicine you have drawn up.
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A Book for Midwives (2010)