The nurse is planning to administer immunizations to a 6-month-old infant. Which interventions should the nurse implement to minimize local reactions from the vaccines? (Select all that apply.)

Question

a. Select a needle length of 1 inch.
b. Administer in the deltoid muscle.
c. Inject the vaccine into the vastus lateralis.
d. Draw the vaccine up from a vial with a filter needle.
e. Change the needle on the syringe after drawing up the vaccine and before injecting.

Answer 1

ANS: A, C
To minimize local reactions from vaccines, the nurse should select a needle of adequate length (25 mm [1 inch] in infants) to deposit the antigen deep in the muscle mass and inject it into the vastus lateralis muscle. The deltoid may be used in children 18 months of age or older but not in a 6-month-old infant. A filter needle is not needed to draw the vaccine from a vial. Changing the needle on the syringe after drawing up the vaccine before injecting it has not been shown to decrease local reactions.