J Cornwall1. 1. Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Nurses are required to perform gluteal intramuscular (IM) injections in practice. There are dangers associated with erroneous performance of this task, particularly with dorsogluteal injections. Knowledge regarding safe injection practice is therefore vital for nursing students. METHOD: Fifty-eight second year students at a New Zealand Nursing School were given schematic drawings of the posterior and lateral aspects of the gluteal region. They were asked to mark and justify the safest location for gluteal IM injections. RESULTS: Fifty-seven students marked the dorsal schematic and one the lateral, with 38 (66.7%) marking in the upper outer quadrant (UOQ). Twenty indicating the UOQ (52.6%) wrote 'sciatic' or 'nerve' in justifying their location. Nineteen (33.3%) marked a location outside the UOQ; nine (47.4%) of these mentioned 'sciatic' or 'nerve' as reasons for injection safety. Overall, 50% of students mentioned 'sciatic' or 'nerve' in justifying the safety of their chosen injection location. CONCLUSION: Results suggest some second year nursing students do not understand safe gluteal IM injection locations and rationale. Current teaching practices and IM injection techniques could be revisited to prepare students more effectively; this may help prevent pathologies arising from this procedure.
BACKGROUND: Nurses are required to perform gluteal intramuscular (IM) injections in practice. There are dangers associated with erroneous performance of this task, particularly with dorsogluteal injections. Knowledge regarding safe injection practice is therefore vital for nursing students. METHOD: Fifty-eight second year students at a New Zealand Nursing School were given schematic drawings of the posterior and lateral aspects of the gluteal region. They were asked to mark and justify the safest location for gluteal IM injections. RESULTS: Fifty-seven students marked the dorsal schematic and one the lateral, with 38 (66.7%) marking in the upper outer quadrant (UOQ). Twenty indicating the UOQ (52.6%) wrote 'sciatic' or 'nerve' in justifying their location. Nineteen (33.3%) marked a location outside the UOQ; nine (47.4%) of these mentioned 'sciatic' or 'nerve' as reasons for injection safety. Overall, 50% of students mentioned 'sciatic' or 'nerve' in justifying the safety of their chosen injection location. CONCLUSION: Results suggest some second year nursing students do not understand safe gluteal IM injection locations and rationale. Current teaching practices and IM injection techniques could be revisited to prepare students more effectively; this may help prevent pathologies arising from this procedure.