How to give a subcutaneous injection
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
Subcutaneous injections go into the fat under the skin, where the drug absorbs slowly. Insulin and heparin are the most common.
Step by step
Check the rights
Right patient, drug, dose, route, time and documentation; check allergies and, for insulin, the blood glucose. [1]
Prepare
Clean your hands, introduce yourself, confirm two identifiers, explain and get consent. [1]
Choose and rotate the site
Abdomen at least 2 inches (5 cm) from the navel, back of the upper arm or front of the thigh. Avoid bruises and scars and rotate sites. [1]
Needle and angle
Short, thin needle (about 25 to 27 G, 3/8 to 5/8 inch). Pinch the skin and insert at 45 to 90 degrees depending on the fat layer. [1]
Inject
Do not pull back the plunger. Inject slowly; with an insulin pen, hold for about 10 seconds before removing. [1]
After
Safety device on, sharps container. Do not rub the site, especially after heparin. Document the site used. [1]
Common errors
- Not rotating sites (hard lumps that change absorption).
- Rubbing after heparin (bruising).
- Injecting into a scar or bruise.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.