Intramuscular injections may be used instead of intravenous injections because some drugs are irritating to veins, or because a suitable vein can't be located. It may be used instead of oral delivery because some drugs are destroyed by the digestive system when a drug is swallowed.

When should you administer intramuscular injections?

Inject the medication

Share on Pinterest An intramuscular injection should not cause blood to appear in the syringe. Insert the needle into the muscle at a 90-degree angle. Use the index finger and thumb to stabilize the syringe while using the other hand to pull back on the plunger slightly to look for blood.

Do you give an IM injection at 90 degrees?

Overwhelmingly the evidence supports a 90 degree angle of needle insertion for intramuscular injection as being that most effective in terms of patient comfort, safety and efficacy of vaccine.