7.3.1: Needles and Syringes
- Page ID
- 89718
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Hypodermic needles and hypodermic syringes are used for injectable drugs. The entire hypodermic needle must remain sterile to avoid infection. The parts of a hypodermic needle include the hub, hilt, bevel, and lumen. The hub is the part of the needle that attaches to the syringe. The hilt is where the needles connect to the hub. The bevel is the slanted end of the needle. The lumen is the area inside the needle through which the liquids travel.
Needles are manufactured in various gauges and lengths. The lower the gauge number, the wider the needle lumen size. For example, a 25-gauge needle is much thinner than an 18-gauge needle. Medical assistants choose needle gauges depending on the liquid's viscosity (thickness) or how deep the needle will be injected into the tissue. Thicker needles with a larger lumen are used for thicker liquids and deeper injections. Thinner needles are used for more superficial injections and more aqueous liquids.
The needle length depends on how deep the injection will enter the tissue and the patient's size. An injection into muscle tissue will require a longer needle than an injection into subcutaneous or intradermal tissue. A patient who weighs over 300 pounds would need a longer needle for an intramuscular injection than a person who weighs under 150 pounds. Medical assistants must use good assessment skills to determine needle length and gauge when administering parenteral drugs.
The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act requires employers to use safer medical devices to reduce the risk of employee injury. Hypodermic needles, categorized as sharps, are manufactured with safety devices to reduce this risk. The medical assistant should use safety devices whenever possible. (Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, 2000)
Hypodermic syringes attach to needles and hold the liquid drug that will be injected into tissues. Syringes are manufactured in sizes 1, 3, 5, 10, and 12mL. Calibration marks on the syringe are used to measure the correct amount of drug. A good rule of thumb is to use the smallest syringe capable of containing the amount of liquid to be injected to get the most accurate measurement of the drug.
Some needles and syringes are manufactured separately, and some are manufactured preassembled. When opening a preassembled syringe, twist the needle clockwise to ensure it is secure. When opening a syringe that is packaged by itself, do not contaminate the tip attached to the needle. Both the needle and the syringe tip must remain sterile. Do not place the syringe on the table until it has been aseptically attached to a needle. Do not remove the needle cover until you are ready to inject or aspirate fluid from a vial, ampule, or other sterile container. The part of the syringe that pulls and pushes fluid in and out of the syringe is called the plunger. Do not touch the part of the plunger that goes into the syringe because it may contaminate the liquid inside.
Recapping needles should never happen after a needle has been used on a patient. After aspirating fluid into the syringe, but before the needle has been used on a person, the needle can be recapped using the scoop method. To do this, place the needle cap on the table, carefully place the needle into the cap to avoid contamination, scoop the cap up onto the needle, and secure the cover.