Introduction to Injection Medications
Vocabulary
Intravenous (IV) – Administered into a vein using a syringe or IV infusion
Intramuscular (IM) – Injected deep into a muscle
Subcutaneous (SC or subcut) – Injected into the innermost layer of skin (subcutis or hypodermis)
Intradermal (ID) – Given directly into middle layer of skin (dermis)
An injection is a method of administering a sterile liquid form of medication into tissues of the body beneath the skin, usually using a needle. Unlike oral medications that are absorbed through the digestive tract, injections allow the medication to be absorbed more rapidly.
There are different types of injections based on the route of administration:
- Intravenous (IV)
- Intramuscular (IM)
- Subcutaneous (SC)
- Intradermal (ID)
Understanding how to solve dosage calculations for injection medications is critical for nurses. Accuracy is essential to ensure patient safety.
Injection Conversion Example
Order: Administer digoxin 05. mg IV daily.
Available: concentrations: Digoxin 0.25 mg/mL.
Solve: How many mL of digoxin should be administered?
mL → [latex]\frac{1000mL}{1L}[/latex] x [latex]2 L[/latex] [latex]= 2000 mL[/latex]
Injection Medication Video Example[1]
- WisTech Open. (2024, August 12). Nursing dosage calculations - Injection medications [Video]. YouTube. CC BY 4.0. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKBjhqhz7n8 ↵
Administered into a vein using a syringe or IV infusion.
Injected deep into a muscle.
Injected into the innermost layer of skin (subcutis or hypodermis).
Given directly into middle layer of skin (dermis).