Creating a change in the use of ventrogluteal site for intramuscular injection

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine the impact of education on the knowledge, opinions and anxiety level of the nurses regarding the use of the ventrogluteal site for intramuscular injection. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The research was conducted with a single group using a semi-empirical pre-test, post-test design. The sample consisted of 50 nurses who worked in clinics where intramuscular injection was frequently applied and who participated in training on the use of ventrogluteal site for intramuscular injection. The data were collected by the researchers with the questionnaire form for evaluation of data, in addition to using descriptive statistical methods, paired sample t-test, Kruskal–Wallis and 2-related samples tests. RESULTS: It was found that 34.0% of the nurses frequently used the dorsogluteal site for intramuscular injection. It was determined that the difference between pre-training (12.40±6.89) and post-training (21.80±1.95) mean scores of the nurses regarding the ventrogluteal site injection was statistically significant (P<0.00). However, no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) was found between the pre-training (39.22±10.16) and post-training (37.52±8.54) anxiety levels. CONCLUSION: It can be stated that the majority of the nurses did not prefer the ventrogluteal site for intramuscular injection; the reasons for not preferring this method were a lack of knowledge on determining the site and concern about harming the patients.