Vitamin B12 has long been used for treatment of pernicious anemia, a type of blood disorder resulting in low production of red blood cells. This leads to fatigue and shortness of breath if untreated with vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 injections are given in doctor's offices, but due to cost reduction and time constraints, you might be given the injection at home by a trained caregiver. Learning how to give a vitamin B12 injection without pain or bruising takes some time and experience.
Preparing Injection
Step 1
Gather the supplies needed and wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Check the vial of vitamin B12 and make sure the medication name and dosage match what the doctor prescribed. Ensure the vial does not contain any clumps or crystals -- do not use it if it does.
Step 2
Check the expiration date on the medicine -- do not use expired medicine. Double-check the dosage amount, or the amount of medicine to be injected. An injection dosage will be measured in cubic centimeters, abbreviated cc, or milliliters - ml.
Step 3
Open the vial by flipping off the little metal lid. Tear open an alcohol wipe and swipe it across the top of the vial. Do not touch the rubber vial top after swiping it with alcohol.
Step 4
Pull the plunger back on the syringe to the ordered dosage. Uncap the syringe needle and push it through the rubber top on the vial. Deposit the air into the vial of medicine by pushing down on the plunger. While the needle remains in the vial of B12, pull the ordered dose of medicine into the syringe by pulling the plunger back. Remove needle from the bottle, recap it and put it aside.
Giving Injection
Step 1
Put on disposable gloves to protect yourself and your patient from body fluid contact. Place patient comfortably on his stomach and expose one buttock.
Step 2
Use your fingers to gently feel the upper outer corner of the buttocks -- if you can feel the bone in the upper outer hip, you are aiming too high. A common injection site for intramuscular shots, such as vitamin B12, is in the dorsogluteal muscle. Draw an imaginary cross on the buttocks cheek and aim for the upper outer corner.
Step 3
Wipe the upper outer corner of the exposed buttocks with an opened alcohol prep. Allow skin to dry. Pick up and uncap the syringe with needle and vitamin B12 inside.
Step 4
Avoiding putting your fingers over the cleansed site; stretch the index finger of your nondominant hand into a letter "C" and gently pull the skin over the injection site until it's taut. Using your dominant hand, quickly pierce the skin with the needle, keeping the syringe perpendicular to the skin.
Step 5
Pull back on the plunger gently once the needle is about half-way into the skin -- keep the syringe stable with the dominant hand. Check to see if any blood enters the barrel of the syringe and mixes with the medication -- this would signify you are not in a muscle, but rather in a blood vessel, and you should not proceed -- pull out the syringe immediately and start over. If no blood is present, proceed to step 6.
Step 6
Push down on the plunger slowly and inject the vitamin B12 into the dorsogluteal muscle. Pressing the plunger too rapidly causes pain. After all of the medication is inserted, swiftly remove the needle from the buttocks and apply a small bandage.
Tips and Warnings
- Rotate shot locations if giving weekly or monthly injections so that scar tissue does not build up. Store medication at room temperature unless otherwise indicated.
- Do not re-use supplies, especially syringes or needles. Do not give an injection through broken skin or skin with a rash.
Things You'll Need
- Sterile vial of B12
- Two sterile single use alcohol wipes
- Sterile syringe with needle attached
- Disposable vinyl gloves (optional)
- Bandage
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