Vitamin B12 Injections: Patient Guide

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Vitamin B12

Injections

Patient Guide:
How to Self-Administer a B12 Injection.
Equipment.

E
C

D F

Equipment:
A: Sharps Bin B: Alcohol Wipe
C: Injection Solution (B12) D: Red Needle - for drawing up medication
E: Blue Needle - for giving the injection F: Syringe

Place all your equipment on a clean table


How to administer your B12 injection.

Once you have washed your hands and set up your equipment on a clean table or tray, you are ready
to give your injection. Please follow the steps below to safely give your injection.

STEP 1:

 Open up your alcohol wipe packet (B) and remove the wipe from the packet. Open up the wipe
fully.
 Place the wipe around the top of the glass vial of medication (C) and wipe in circular motion for
30 seconds. Leave to air dry for 30 seconds.
 Tap the solution to the bottom of the glass vial (A).
 Snap of the top of the glass vial. Do this by holding the vial. Right handed people hold with left
hand, left handed people hold with you right hand with the DOT facing towards you. (Picture
1-A).
 Wrap the alcohol wipe around the top with your other hand. (Picture 1-B) Snap the top away
from you to remove top (Picture 1-C).

SNAP AWAY FROM YOU

1-A 1-B 1-C

Dot facing towards you towards you

Remember to tap solution to the bottom of the vial


STEP 2:

 Open your red needle (D) and place on the end of your syringe (E) (Picture: 2-A).
 Remove the red cap from the needle.
 Place the needle and syringe into the bottom of your glass vail (Picture: 2-B).
 Pull the syringe plunger up towards you until all the red solution is removed from the glass vial.
 Remove the red needle from the syringe (Picture 2-C) and place it in your sharps bin (A).
 Slowly push the plunger back down until you have 1 ml of the solution in your syringe. Make
sure the solution is right to the tip of the syringe (Picture 2-C).

Pull the plunger of the


syringe up towards you.

2-A

2-B

2-C Tip of the syringe

1 ml only

Tip of the needle at the bottom of the vial


STEP 3:

 Open up your blue needle and place it on the end of your


syringe.
 Remove the plastic cover.
 Pull the pink safety cover back to expose the needle.

Pink Safety cover

STEP 4:

You are now ready to give your injection. You must read the next instructions carefully to
ensure you inject in the right place and in the right way.

 Where do you inject: TOP OF THE ARM IN TO YOUR MUSCLE


 Locate the bone at the top of your arm. (Picture 4-A, 4-B).
 Place two fingers below the bone. (Picture 4-C).
 The injection site will be in the muscle directly below your two fingers. Think of a triangle and
you will insert the needle in the center of the triangle. (Picture 4-D).

4-A 4-B 4-C 4-D


Injection site

Location of the bone at the top


of the arm
The Angle of the needle: The needle must go into the skin at a 90° angle.

 Once you have located the correct place to inject the needle, pinch up your muscle using the
hand you are not using to hold the needle (Picture 4-E).
 Stretch out the muscle (Picture 4-F) and then immediately insert the needle into the stretched
muscle with your other hand, making sure it goes in straight (Picture 4-H) and the beveled
edge of the needle is facing upwards. (Picture 4-G)

4-E 4-F 4-G 4-H

 Push the plunger down to inject the solution into your muscle. Once you have injected all the
solution, wait 10 seconds and then carefully remove the needle from your arm. (Picture 4-H).
 Do not rub the arm once you have removed the needle. If you bleed, gently press the area with
a cotton wool ball.
Safe Disposal and Storage of Equipment

Equipment to go into
your Yellow Sharps BIN

 Needle and syringe.


 Empty glass vial.
 Red needle used to
draw up medication.

HOUSEHOLD WASTE BIN…

 All the packaging from the


needles and syringe.

REMEMBER TO………..
 Close the lid on your sharps bin after using. Gently press the lid down, do not push too
hard as this will lock the lid.
 Store in a safe place away from children and pets.
 Store unused equipment and mediation in a safe place.
 Your medication should be stored at room temperature, not in the fridge.

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