How to Give an Emergency Injection of Hydrocortisone

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Locate a suitable injection site.

   It is okay to inject through clothing in an emergency, as shown in this educational video produced by the Addison's Disease Self-Help Group.The best site is the middle third of the outside of the thigh, but you can also inject into the muscle of the upper arm.This is a inter-muscular injection so you do not need to look for a vein or anything other than a muscular part of the thigh or upper arm.
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   Step 2: Don't worry about sterilising the injection site in an emergency.Medical professionals working in a hospital environment will often do so

   However, for emergency IM treatment, the same rigorous standards of aseptic technique are less applicable.
   
   Occasionally, an emergency hydrocortisone injection is needed in remote locations without access to piped water.
   
   It is more important to inject promptly, and to avoid delays over concerns about meeting ideal standards of sterilisation or hygiene.
   
   If you are making your own injection kit, you can include alcohol wipes, which are also useful to stop any bleeding afterwards. ,, It is not necessary to "draw back" if you hit a vein. , It is less painful if you do this slowly.
   
   Quickly remove the needle. ,
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   Step 3: especially for an IV; this practice is also more common in the US than in the UK or other countries.

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   Step 4: Hold the syringe in your hand like you would a dart.

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   Step 5: Insert the needle quickly

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   Step 6: at a 90 degree angle.

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   Step 7: Slowly and gently

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   Step 8: press down the contents of the plunger until all of the liquid in the syringe is emptied into the thigh.

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   Step 9: Press down gently on the injection site

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    Step 10: using a clean tissue or an alcohol wipe to stop any bleeding.

Detailed Guide

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