This is an interactive study module on administering an Epinephrine Auto-injector. This module was made with nursing students in mind in order to aid in studying for various certifications and classes! The study module will help students understanding and long term memory on the steps of administration.
By the end of this module students should be able to confidently remember the steps of administration as well as common mistakes.
In order to accomplish this, the module includes…
This video goes through the steps of administering an Epinephrine Auto-Injector. The video will be referenced through the Step-by-Step portion of this module — don't worry, however a summary/reminder of each step will be given. We recommend you take notes for your own learning, however it is not necessary for completing this module.
After watching carefully please proceed to the next segment. The segment will go through a step by step guide that breaks down the information into small steps. You will be given a question for each step about what you have learned and a final reflection question at the end of this segment. Then you will go into a quick review segment.
As indicated in the video if a person is demonstrating signs of anaphylaxis it's important to administer epinephrine. The first action taken should be to ensure the medication has not expired. The next action taken should be proper holding of the device. The individual should then hold the device around its midsection ensuring no digits cover either end.
Immediately after confirming an individual is experiencing anaphylaxis (respiratory distress, hypotension or laryngeal oedema) do you:
Improper grip can lead to accidental injection. To prevent this it is important to make sure the orange tip of device is facing downwards while the blue side is facing upwards. When holding, grasp the device with all digits around the midsection.
True or False:
When holding an Auto-injector it's important to form a fist around the mid-section of device with all fingers. Doing so prevents possible mistakes like injecting oneself.
The next step established in the video is to arm the internal spring-loaded firing mechanism. Start by removing the blue safety release cap. Do this by pulling the cap straight up while maintaining your grip on the carrier tube.
Based off the information above, fill in the blank:
Remove the blue safety by pulling it straight up whilst maintaining a firm grip on the . This arms the firing mechanism.
Answer key:
After preparing the device you then must locate the proper injection site. The vastus lateralis (outer thigh) is where the epinephrine will be administered. The needle is designed to pierce through jeans and standard medical scrubs but other bulky clothing must be cleared.
Reminder: The vastus lateralis is the outer thigh.
Type in the correct answer:
Identify the as the injection site. Remove bulky clothing. The needle can pierce through denim and standard medical scrubs.
Making sure you have the correct injection site is detrimental to the proper administration of epinephrine. Based off the last question can you pick out the proper location site?
True or False:
The injection site is located on the vastus medialis.
After finding the correct injection site, position the orange tip at a 90-degree angle. With a strong swing, push the injector tip firmly. You should hear a distinct "click". This signals that the needle is deployed into the intramuscular space correctly.
Based on this step, select all the correct information:
A "Click" is produced for a reason. It is in order to indicate that enough force has been used in order to administer a dose of medication.
If a distinct "click" has been heard then it is an indicator that the administration was NOT successful and needs to be tried again.
After a "click" is heard you must give enough time in order for the whole dose to be administered. Different epinephrine auto-injectors release the dose via pressurized plunger, in various amounts of seconds. In order to be sure, maintain firm pressure on thigh for at about 3-10 seconds.
The device needs at least 3-10 seconds to ensure a full dose of epinephrine has been administered to the patient.
This is the last step in the administration process. In order to enhance systemic absorption the injection area should be massaged for 10 seconds. When administration is completed the device should be disposed into a designated sharps container. Note: the orange tip will extend to cover the needle.
After massaging the injector site you should:
Now that you have seen all the steps, in the box below please write in your own words all the steps and important information that you can remember. This is a practice exercise in order for you to see everything you can remember so far.
Remember: there are 6 steps in total starting at checking the device to proper disposal. There is also a couple of mistakes commonly done involving placement of hands, device and force.
If you need it here's the video to replay:
Now that you've gone through all the steps, let's consolidate your knowledge before going into the final test. This review will feature a question on arranging the steps in the correct order as well as 6 multiple choice questions. The multiple choice questions will be either the exact same questions from the step-by-step segment or be slightly altered.
If a question is answered incorrectly then a hint will be available to review.
Good Luck!
Drag each step card to its correct numbered position on the right.
Immediately after confirming an individual is experiencing anaphylaxis (respiratory distress, hypotension or laryngeal oedema) do you:
In order to arm the spring-loaded firing mechanism you must:
The proper injection site is the:
Why must you hear a "click" after forcefully pushing the injector tip into the injection site?
How long should you wait after hearing a "click"?
After massaging the injector site you should:
Now that you've gone over the steps as well as a review it's time for the final case study. This case study will involve a written reflection where you are asked to write the steps in order. It's important that you write whatever you can remember — whether it be the main steps of the administration or the common mistakes. The more you remember, the more points you get!
Final tests can be tricky but you are welcome to review the module again after the test. Just remember, memory takes time to solidify but the strategies used in this module were designed in order to aid in long term memory. So don't get discouraged if you can't remember the exact wording of every step immediately. But if that's what you're looking for, then feel free to review this module as many times as you need.
You're in the ER working your regular shift at the hospital. Suddenly a patient comes in and presents the symptoms of anaphylaxis. You ask the patient if they have any epinephrine auto-injectors on them. They hand you their personal unit.
In the box below:
Congratulations! You have passed the training module!
You have demonstrated:
Overall you now possess an understanding of how to properly administer an epinephrine auto-injector. If you would like you can retake the module or find another one in the top right. Good luck on your studying!
Almost there, review required.
In order to fully complete this module you need to pass the threshold for passing is 5/6 steps.
You seem to be missing some steps which include:
We recommend you review these steps before retaking the test to ensure a passing grade.
Good luck on your next try!