Maternity Nursing Q 12

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When preparing to administer the vitamin K injection to a neonate, the nurse would select which of the following sites as appropriate for the injection?

  

     A. Deltoid muscle

     B. Anterior femoris muscle

     C. Vastus lateralis muscle

     D. Gluteus maximus muscle

    

    

Correct Answer: C. Vastus lateralis muscle

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The middle third of the vastus lateralis is the preferred injection site for vitamin K administration because it is free of blood vessels and nerves and is large enough to absorb the medication.

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Option A: The deltoid muscle of a newborn is not large enough for a newborn IM injection. Injections into this muscle in a small child might cause damage to the radial nerve.

Option B: The anterior femoris muscle is the next safest muscle to use in a newborn but is not the safest. The rectus femoris (the middle third of the rectus femoris) is no longer a recommended site because it may cause discomfort and pain. A previous study reported that one disadvantage of this site is that nerves and numerous blood vessels run very close to it

Option D: Because of the proximity of the sciatic nerve, the gluteus maximus muscle should not be until the child has been walking 2 years.

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