Are you trying to learn how to inject medication? If this is your first time, you’re likely nervous about the procedure.
One of the first things you need to know is how to read a syringe. You need to ensure that the syringe is prepared for administering the dose.
This short guide will show you the basics of how to read a syringe. Make sure you always get the proper training from a doctor before using a syringe on someone else.
Here’s what you need to know:
Components of the Different Types of Syringes
Let’s start by looking at the components of a syringe. When it comes to reading a syringe, you need to know the following:
Adaptor
This is the part of the syringe where you attach the needle. You want to ensure you take time to screw on the needle. You’ll have to test out if it’s firmly attached before administering the dose.
Barrel
This is where the fluid gets stored as you prepare to administer the injection. Different types of syringes will have different capacities for storing the fluid. The common volume increments are 100 units, 1 mL, 3 mL, 5 mL, and 10 mL.
You should also look into www.chromtech.com to learn about syringe filters that you might need to insert into your syringe.
Plunger
This component helps you draw up and inject the medication. You need to ensure it’s always sturdy and never stuck in place.
How to Dose a Syringe
Now let’s look at the general guidelines on how to dose a syringe. Make sure you never try this until you have supervision from an experienced doctor.
You want to first ensure that the plunger gets pressed down to the barrel’s bottom. As you release the plunger, you’ll see the medication filling up the syringe.
You can look at the measurement markings on the barrel to see the volume that you’ve filled up. Make sure you take time with this process so that you don’t overfill the syringe.
Best Practices
Now let’s look at a few best practices to ensure you have no problems when giving syringe doses. Here’s what you need to know:
- Make sure that the medication is distributed evenly within the liquid
- Do this before you draw it into the syringe
- You might need several draws to fill the syringe to the desired volume
- As a general rule, you shouldn’t need more than 4 attempts
- You can use water to gather any leftover medication in the barrel
- You should store syringes in the fridge
- Take the syringe apart when you clean it
- Keep the components separately to allow them to dry
Make sure you practice your syringe doses and cleaning before you administer a dose.
That’s How to Read a Syringe
Now you know how to read a syringe to prepare for administering a dose. Make sure you try this a few times on a dummy before trying it on a patient.
You need to learn how to understand how the different components work. Make sure you learn how to read the correct volume to ensure that the syringe is prepared.
Follow the best practices in the guide to reduce risks when giving a syringe. You can find more tips on how to read a syringe on our blog!
