If the medicine comes in an ampule:
1. Wipe the ampule clean with a cloth or some alcohol.
Then wrap a clean cloth around the top and break it off.
Injections
2. Put the needle into the ampule.
Be careful that the needle does
not touch the outside of the
ampule. Hold the barrel of
the syringe steady and
pull the plunger —
this will draw the
medicine into
the syringe.
3. Hold the syringe
with the needle pointing up.
Gently tap the barrel of the
syringe until all
the air bubbles
rise to the top.
Then push the
plunger in just a little
to get the air out.
If the medicine comes as a liquid in a bottle:
1. Clean the rubber top of the bottle with a sterile gauze or
cloth that has been soaked in alcohol. This keeps dirt off
the needle and out of the medicine.
2. Pull the plunger
back to fill the
syringe with air.
Then push the
syringe through
the top of the
bottle, and
inject the air
into the bottle.
3. Turn the bottle upside down.
Be sure the tip of the needle
points into the medicine
inside the bottle and not into
the air. Hold the barrel of the
syringe still and slowly pull the
plunger until the correct amount
of medicine enters the syringe.
Pull the syringe out of the bottle.
4. Hold the syringe with
the needle pointing up.
Gently tap the barrel of
the syringe until all the air
bubbles rise to the top.
Push the plunger in just a
little to get the air out.
347
A Book for Midwives (2010)