Supplies Needed

• Gather your supplies and have them on hand before bringing the patient in.
  You will need exam gloves, a vial of the medicine to be injected, a new syringe with an appropriate-sized disposable needle (usually around one-inch), cotton balls, rubbing alcohol and an adhesive bandage.
  
  

Check The Details

• Make sure that you have all the safety measures in place before proceeding with the injection. Look carefully at the label on the medicine and check that the name of the patient matches. Also be sure the drug hasn't expired. Check the prescription so that you will know the right number of cubic centimeters (cc) or milliliters (ml) to inject. You should have enough on hand for more than one dose, according to Drugs.com.
  
  

Filling the Syringe

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap. Put on the gloves and attach a new needle to the syringe and take off the protective cap. Dip a cotton ball in alcohol and wipe the top of the vial to disinfect the outer surface. Allow the alcohol to dry, and then insert the needle. Push the plunger of the syringe all the way in and then pull back on the plunger and fill the syringe up to the proper level.
  Withdraw the needle from the vial and point it into the air, allowing any bubbles to rise. You may need to flick the syringe to get the bubbles to the top. Push slightly on the plunger to force out the air and allow just a drop or two of the medicine to squirt out. The shot is now ready to inject.
  
  

Shot Procedure

• Wet a cotton ball with alcohol and wipe the injection site and allow it to dry. The IM is typically given in the upper arm, hip, thigh or buttocks, according to Drugs.com.
  Once the alcohol has dried, use the thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand to stretch the skin flat before inserting the needle.
  Hold the syringe like a pencil or a dart and insert the needle all the way into the skin in a quick motion. The needle should go straight in.
  Release the skin while holding the syringe firmly and straight.
  Pull back slightly on the plunger and see if any blood enters the chamber of the syringe. If it does, remove the needle gently and throw away the syringe and medicine and start over.
  If no blood appears then you are in the muscle, press the plunger in and inject the entire dose into the muscle. Gently pull the needle out and dispose of the syringe. Apply pressure on the injection site with another cotton ball and place an adhesive bandage over it to hold it in place.