NURS 3100 Exam 1 Practice

A nurse is observing a student nurse administer an intramuscular injection in the deltoid muscle. The nurse should intervene if the student nurse does which of the following?

1. Inserts the needle at a 45 degree angle with the skin.

2. Locates the site by putting the heel of the hand on the greater trochanter.

3. Plans to administer 2 mL in a single injection.

4. Selects a 1" 23-gauge needle and 3mL syringe.

The correct answer is: Inserts the needle at a 45 degree angle with the skin.

The nurse should intervene if the student nurse inserts the needle at a 45-degree angle with the skin. When administering an intramuscular injection in the deltoid muscle, it is important to insert the needle at a 90-degree angle to ensure the correct deposit of the medication into the muscle tissue. Choosing a 45-degree angle may result in improper delivery of the medication and could potentially cause discomfort or other complications for the patient. Intramuscular injections in the deltoid muscle typically require a 90-degree angle for proper administration. The other options provided are not reasons for immediate intervention.