NCLEX Examination.
Practice Question # 548.
Nclex
Administering a Z-Track Injection
Wash your hands with soap and warm water.
This will help to prevent potential infection. Be sure to thoroughly scrub between fingers, on the backs of hands, and under fingernails. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends lathering for 20 seconds – the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice.
Gather the necessary supplies:
- needle and syringe with medication
- alcohol pads
- gauze
- puncture-resistant container to discard the used needles and syringe (typically a red, plastic “sharp’s container”)
- bandages
Clean the injection site.
Clean the injection site with an alcohol pad to minimize the possibility of infection. Allow the area to air dry for a few minutes.
Relax the muscle to be injected.
Get into a comfortable position so that your muscle is as relaxed as possible. This may be lying down on your stomach or bending over a chair or counter, or sitting (if self-injecting into your thigh).
Prepare the syringe with medication.
Remove the cap. If the vial is multi-dose, take a note about when the vial was first opened. The rubber stopper should be cleaned with an alcohol swab.
Draw air into the syringe. Draw back the plunger to fill the syringe with air up to the dose that you will be injecting. This is done because the vial is a vacuum and you need to add an equal amount of air to regulate the pressure. This makes it easier to draw the medication into the syringe. Don’t worry; if you forget this step, you can still get the medication out of the vial.
Insert air into the vial. Remove the cap from the needle and push the needle through the rubber stopper at the top of the vial. Inject all the air into the vial. Be careful to not touch the needle to keep it clean.
Withdraw the medication. Turn the vial and syringe upside down so the needle points upward. Then pull back on the plunger to withdraw the correct amount of medication.
Remove any air bubbles. Tap the syringe to push any bubbles to the top and gently depress the plunger to push the air bubbles out.
Insert the needle. Use one hand to pull downward on your skin and fatty tissue. Hold it firmly about an inch away (2.54 cm) from the muscle. In the other hand, hold the needle at a 90-degree angle and insert it quickly and deeply enough to penetrate your muscle.
