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MEASUREMENTS & DOSING

If you are unsure about the injection process or dose, please reach out for clarification BEFORE injecting!

 

SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTIONS

 

 
  • Units (U) and milligrams (mg) are not related!
    • The amount of medication injected is usually measured in Units. Units are a measurement of volume. This is the amount you want to pay attention to!
    • The milligrams (mg) represent the mass of medication contained within the Units or volume administered. So, each Unit will have a certain amount of milligrams depending on the concentration of the medication.
    • Do NOT administer medications based on the milligrams (mg).
  • Locate the dosing instructions on your medication label. For example, you may be instructed to administer 25U (U=units) of medication.
    • If your medication does not list Units in the injection instructions, please reach out and we will help you confirm your dose!
    • If your medication lists volume in milliliters (ml), then the conversion is as follows:
      • 1ml is equivalent to 100U,
      • 0.1ml is equivalent to 10U, and
      • 0.01ml is equivalent to 1U.
  • Insulin syringes may hold various volumes, such as 30U, 50U, or 100U. Units are equivalent across all insulin syringes, so 10U on a 30U syringe is the same as 10U on a 100U syringe.

 

INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTIONS

  • Milliliters (ml) and milligrams(mg) are not related!
    • The amount of medication injected is usually measured in milliliters (ml). Milliliters are a measurement of volume. This is the amount you want to pay attention to!
    • The milligrams (mg) represent the mass of medication contained within the milliliters (ml) or volume administered. So, each milliliter (ml) will have a certain amount of milligrams depending on the concentration of the medication.
    • Do NOT administer medications based on the milligrams (mg).
  • Locate the dosing instructions on your medication label. For example, you may be instructed to administer 1ml or 0.8ml (ml = milliliter) of medication.
    • If your medication does not list milliliter (ml) in the injection instructions, please reach out and we will help you confirm your dose!
  • Syringes may hold various volumes, such as 1ml, 3ml, or more. Milliliters are equivalent across all insulin syringes, so 1ml on a 1ml syringe is the same as 1ml on a 3ml syringe.

INJECTION INSTRUCTIONS

If you are unsure about your the injection process, please reach out for clarification BEFORE injecting! Please review "Best Practices" for more in-depth information on safely administering injections.

1. Wash hands.
2. Gather all needed supplies (click here to be directed to where you can find supplies).
  • Needles, syringe, or insulin syringes
  • Medication vial
  • Alcohol pads
  • Gauze
  • Bandage
  • Puncture-resistant container to discard used needles

3. Locate injection site.

  • Alternate injection sites to prevent damage to an area with repeated injections. 
  • Subcutaneous injections (click to be directed to an image):
    • Abdomen: Below your ribs, above your hip bones, and at least 2 inches away from your belly button. 
    • Other areas include the front of the thighs, the back of the upper arms, and the backside of the hip.
  • Intramuscular injections (click to be directed to an image): 

4. Prepare syringe with medication.

  • Remove the superficial cap (if present) on the medication vial. Do not try to remove the rubber stopper as this will affect the integrity of the medication!
  • The rubber stopper should be cleaned with an alcohol swab.
  • Subcutaneous injections: 
    • Locate the dosing instructions (the amount in units) on your medication label.
    • Find the corresponding line on the insulin syringe. Please reference the dosing section above if needed. If you are unsure about your dosing, please reach out for clarification.
    • Being careful not to touch the needle, remove the protective cap from the insulin syringe’s needle and draw air into the syringe equal to the amount that you want to inject.
      • This is done because the vial is a vacuum and you need to add an equal amount of air for it to easily dispense the medication. If you forget this step, you can still withdraw the medication, but it may be slower to draw up. 
    • Insert the needle into the vial and insert the air into the vial by pushing down on the syringe’s plunger. 
    • Invert the vial (the vial will be bottom up and the needle will still be inside and pointing up towards the ceiling) and draw the medication into the syringe by slowly pulling out the plunger. Draw the medication down to the prescribed (unit) line.
    • If there are bubbles, tap the syringe lightly so the bubbles rise to the top and gently press the air out. 
    • Recap the needle carefully. It is best to do this by placing the cap on a flat surface and guiding the needle into the cap. Once the needle is inside of the cap, you may grasp the top and firmly secure the cap. 
  • Intramuscular injections:
    • Locate the dosing instructions (the amount in ml) on your medication label. Find the corresponding line on the syringe. Please reference the dosing section above if needed. If you are unsure about your dosing, please reach out for clarification.
    • Remove the syringe and larger gauge (smaller number, but visually larger) needle from their packaging. The larger gauge needle will allow the medication to be drawn up more quickly. Be careful that the connecting parts do not touch anything that has not been cleaned or has been in sterile packaging.
    • Attach the larger gauge (e.g. 18G or 20G) needle to the syringe.
    • Being careful not to touch the needle, remove the protective cap from the insulin syringe’s needle and draw air into the syringe equal to the amount that you want to inject. 
      • This is done because the vial is a vacuum and you need to add an equal amount of air for it to easily dispense the medication. If you forget this step, you can still withdraw the medication, but it may be slower to draw up. 
    • Insert the needle into the vial and insert the air into the vial by pushing down on the syringe’s plunger.
    • Invert the vial (the vial will be bottom up and the needle will still be inside and pointing up towards the ceiling) and draw the medication into the syringe by slowly pulling out the plunger. Draw the medication down to roughly 0.05ml less than the desired total amount.
    • Remove the needle from the vial, then pull the plunger down (away from the needle) a little more (roughly 0.05ml more), and it will remove the small amount of excess that gets stuck inside of the needle hub.
    • If there are bubbles, tap the syringe lightly so the bubbles rise to the top and gently press the air out.
    • Recap the needle carefully. It is best to do this by placing the cap on a flat surface and guiding the needle into the cap. Once the needle is inside of the cap, you may grasp the top and firmly secure the cap.
    • Exchange the larger gauge needle (e.g. 18G) for the smaller gauge needle (e.g. 25G or 27G) for self-injection.

5. Clean the injection site with an alcohol pad and allow it to air dry.

6. Uncap and insert the needle.

  • Subcutaneous injections:
    • Lightly pinch the skin around the area you want to inject (keeping the injection area untouched). Hold the syringe like a dart and insert it into the skin at a 45-degree angle.
    • You should insert the needle in a quick but controlled manner. Do not push the plunger in at the same time. 
  • Intramuscular injections:
    • Hold the syringe like a dart and insert it into the muscle at a 90-degree angle.
    • You should insert the needle in a quick but controlled manner. Do not push the plunger in at the same time.
7. Inject the medication. Push the plunger slowly to inject the medication into the muscle. Hold for 5 seconds after it looks like all medication is injected.
8. Remove the needle from the muscle and recap the needle.
  • If you inject too shallow, you may develop a bit of a wheal (raised bump) or irritation/redness.
  • You can rub the area for 30 seconds to help disperse the medication.
  • It is normal to see slight bleeding. If there is blood, apply gauze, and, if necessary, a bandage.
9. Dispose of the supplies appropriately.

DISPOSAL OF INJECTION SUPPLIES

  • All injection supplies (i.e. syringes, needles) are NOT reusable and must be disposed of after one use.
  • Use "sharps" containers (secure, puncture-resistant containers) meant for proper disposal of used needles and syringes accumulated as a result of injectable medication.
  • You may find local areas to dispose of medical supplies by contacting your state's Department of Public Health & Environment.