Preparing injections

 

Preparing injections- Injections should be prepared in a designated clean area where contamination by blood and body fluids is unlikely.

Practical guidance on preparing injections Three steps must be followed when preparing injections.

1. Keep the injection preparation area free of clutter so all surfaces can be easily cleaned.

2. Before starting the injection session, and whenever there is contamination with blood or body fluids, clean the preparation surfaces with 70% alcohol (isopropyl alcohol or ethanol) and allow to dry.

3. Assemble all equipment needed for the injection: – sterile single-use needles and syringes; – reconstitution solution such as sterile water or specific diluent; – alcohol swab or cotton wool; –sharps container.

Procedure for septum vials

Wipe the access diaphragm (septum) with 70% alcohol (isopropyl alcohol or ethanol) on a swab or cotton-wool ball before piercing the vial, and allow to air dry before inserting a device into the bottle.

• Use a sterile syringe and needle for each insertion into a multidose vial. • Never leave a needle in a multidose vial.

• Once the loaded syringe and needle has been withdrawn from a multidose vial, administer the injection as soon as possible.

Labelling

 • After reconstitution of a multidose vial, label the final medication container with:

        – date and time of preparation;

        – type and volume of diluent (if applicable);

        – final concentration; – expiry date and time after reconstitution;

        –name and signature of the person reconstituting the drug.

• For multi dose medications that DO NOT require reconstitution, add a label with:

        – date and time of first piercing the vial;

        – name and signature of the person first piercing the vial.