Question

A nurse is preparing to administer meperidine 100 mg IM to a client who has a BMI of 23. Which of the following needle lengths should the nurse use to administer the medication?

A) 1/2 inch
B) 1 inch
C) 1.5 inches
D) 2 inches

Answer 1

For an adult with a BMI of 23, a 1.5 inch needle is suggested for IM injections of medication like meperidine to ensure proper delivery into the muscle tissue.

Step-by-step explanation:

The proper needle length for administering intramuscular (IM) medications depends on the patient's body mass and the injection site. For an adult with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 23, which is considered a normal weight, a 1 to 1.5 inch needle is typically appropriate for IM injections into the deltoid muscle. However, when giving an IM injection into the ventrogluteal or vastus lateralis sites, especially in adults with average BMI, a 1.5 inch needle is commonly used to ensure the medication is delivered into the muscle tissue properly.

For the administration of meperidine 100 mg IM to a client with a BMI of 23, the appropriate needle length would likely be C) 1.5 inches, although this can vary based on specific assessment of the patient's muscle mass and the site of injection. The nurse should always assess the patient individually to determine the correct needle size.