Subcutaneous injection to prevent blood clots
NMC OSCE practice station
Clinical skills · 1 min to read · 8 min to perform
Check the prescription, prepare and give the injection safely, and explain each step to him.
Callum ReidIs that the daily jab? I'm not great with needles, I'll be honest.
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Open the full station (charts, voice, result letter) →The task
You are the nurse on a medical ward. Callum Reid, aged 52, is being treated for cellulitis of the leg and is less mobile than usual. He has a prescription for a daily subcutaneous injection to reduce his risk of blood clots. The medicines chart and prefilled syringe are in the patient folder. Check the prescription, prepare and give the injection safely, and explain each step to him. Say aloud and show what you do. Complete the record.
What this station tests
- Do not expel the air bubble from a prefilled enoxaparin syringe.
- Rotate injection sites and avoid bruises, scars and the area within 5 cm of the umbilicus.
- Hold the skin fold until the needle is out and do not rub the site.
- Activate the safety device and use the sharps bin immediately; never recap.
- Record the dose, time and site straight after giving.
Sources for the clinical content
- emc: Enoxaparin pre-filled syringes, summary of product characteristics
- NICE NG89: Venous thromboembolism in over 16s
- WHO: Hand hygiene in health care
- NMC: The Code
An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.