Vitamin K Injection
Vitamin K Injection ( 4 Questions)
A nurse is administering vitamin K injection to a newborn using the vastus lateralis muscle as the injection site.
Which of the following techniques should the nurse use to ensure proper needle placement?
Dividing the thigh into thirds horizontally and vertically and using the outer middle third of the thigh is a technique for locating the dorsogluteal site, which is not recommended for newborns.
This technique ensures proper needle placement in the vastus lateralis muscle, which is the preferred site for vitamin K injection in newborns. Vitamin K is given to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), which can cause serious bleeding problems in newborns.
Palpating the anterior iliac spine and the mid-patella and using the lateral aspect of this line is a technique for locating the rectus femoris site, which is an alternative site for vitamin K injection in newborns but not as preferred as the vastus lateralis site.
Identifying the midpoint of a line drawn from the anterior superior iliac spine to the pubic tubercle and using this point is a technique for locating the ventrogluteal site, which is not recommended for newborns.
The correct answer is choice B. Locate the greater trochanter and the lateral femoral condyle and use the middle third of this line. This technique ensures proper needle placement in the vastus lateralis muscle, which is the preferred site for vitamin K injection in newborns. Vitamin K is given to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), which can cause serious bleeding problems in newborns.
Choice A is wrong because dividing the thigh into thirds horizontally and vertically and using the outer middle third of the thigh is a technique for locating the dorsogluteal site, which is not recommended for newborns.
Choice C is wrong because palpating the anterior iliac spine and the mid-patella and using the lateral aspect of this line is a technique for locating the rectus femoris site, which is an alternative site for vitamin K injection in newborns but not as preferred as the vastus lateralis site.
Choice D is wrong because identifying the midpoint of a line drawn from the anterior superior iliac spine to the pubic tubercle and using this point is a technique for locating the ventrogluteal site, which is not recommended for newborns.
