A 6-month-old infant is to receive 0.5 mL of a preoperative injection, intramuscularly, prior to going to surgery to have tubes inserted in the ears. What site should the nurse select to administer the medication?
A) Deltoid
B) Dorsogluteal
C) Ventrogluteal
D) Vastus lateralis

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The site for an intramuscular injection in a child depends on the child's age, the child's size, and the volume and density of medication being administered. Infants cannot tolerate volumes greater than 0.5 mL in a single site. The preferred site for infants is the vastus lateralis muscle. After the child has been walking for more than a year, the dorsogluteal site can be used. However, that site is not recommended for children younger than 5 years. For the older child and adolescent, the same injection sites used for adults are appropriate.

A 6-Month-Old Infant Is to Receive 0