Giving an insulin injection into the arm

Clean

slide 1 of 6

slide 1 of 6, Clean,

Clean the area of skin where you will give the injection. If you use alcohol to clean the skin, let it dry. Remove the cap from the syringe.

Pinch up

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slide 2 of 6, Pinch up,

Using your knee, push up the back of your arm to create a "pinched-up" area.

Stick it

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slide 3 of 6, Stick it,

Push the needle all the way into the pinched-up area.

Relax

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slide 4 of 6, Relax,

Lower your knee slightly so that the back of your arm is no longer pinched up.

Inject and wait

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slide 5 of 6, Inject and wait,

Push the plunger of the syringe all the way in. Count to five before taking the needle out.

Needle safety

Throwing away the needle in a solid plastic container

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slide 6 of 6, Needle safety,

Throw away the needle in a sharps container or other solid plastic container. You can get a sharps container at your pharmacy.

Current as of: August 31, 2020

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine

Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine

Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine

David C.W. Lau MD, PhD, FRCPC - Endocrinology

Rhonda O'Brien MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator

Condensed

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