Pediatric Nursing Q 158

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A nurse prepares to administer an intramuscular injection to a 6-month-old infant. The nurse selects which site to administer the medication?

  

     A. Rectus femoris

     B. Dorsal gluteal

     C. Ventrogluteal

     D. Vastus lateralis

    

    

Correct Answer: D. Vastus lateralis

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Intramuscular injection sites are selected based on the child’s age and muscle development. The vastus lateralis is the only safe muscle group to use for intramuscular injection in a 6 month-old infant. Muscle has fewer pain-sensing nerves than subcutaneous tissue and is less sensitive to irritating and viscous medications, so pain is lessened.

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Option A: I.M. injections are administered in newborns to deliver medications deeply into the muscle without causing injury to the tiny patient. Skeletal muscle can accommodate larger volumes of medication than subcutaneous tissue, and absorption is faster because muscle tissue is highly vascular.

Option B: Never give an IM injection in the buttocks. Using the vastus lateralis muscle avoids the risk of sciatic nerve damage from gluteal injection. Also, the vastus lateralis muscle has a larger muscle mass than the gluteal region and therefore has reduced risk of severe local reactions.

Option C: The ventrogluteal site is unsafe for that age. Avoid subcutaneous and intramuscular injections when intravenous administration is a suitable alternative option. Make sure that infants do not move during the IM injection. This is very important.

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