Drawing medicine out of a vial
Some medicines need to be given with an injection. Learn the proper technique to draw your medicine into a syringe.
Get Ready
- Gather your supplies: medicine vial, syringe, alcohol pad, sharps container.
- Make sure you are working in a clean area.
- Wash your hands.
Check Your Medicine
- Check the label. Make sure you have the right medicine.
- Check the date on the vial. Do not use medicine that is out of date.
- You may have a multi-dose vial. Or you may have a vial with powder that you mix with liquid. Read or ask about medicine instructions if you have to mix your medicine.
- If you will use the medicine more than once, write the date on the vial so you remember when you opened it.
- Look at the medicine in the vial. Check for a change in color, small pieces floating in the liquid, cloudiness, or any other changes.
Get the Vial Ready
- If this is the first time using this medicine, take the cap off the vial.
- Wipe the rubber top clean with an alcohol pad.
Get the Syringe Ready
- Hold the syringe in your hand like a pencil with the needle pointed up.
- With the cap still on, pull back the plunger to the line on your syringe for your dose. This fills the syringe with air.
- Insert the needle into the rubber top. Do not to touch or bend the needle.
- Push the air into the vial. This keeps a vacuum from forming. If you put in too little air, you will find it hard to draw out the medicine. If you put in too much air, the medicine may be forced out of the syringe.
- With the vial right side up, put the needle straight in. Try not to bend the needle.
- Turn the vial upside down and hold it up in the air. Keep the needle tip in the medicine.
Pull back the plunger to the line on your syringe for your dose. For example, if you need 1 cc of medicine, pull the plunger to the line marked 1 cc on the syringe. Note that some bottles may say ml. Cc and mL are the same amount of medicine.
Remove air bubbles from the syringe. Keeping the syringe tip in the medicine. Tap the syringe with your finger to move air bubbles to the top.Then push gently on the plunger to push the air bubbles back into the vial. If you have a lot of bubbles, push the plunger back up pushing all the medicine back into the vial. Draw medicine out slowly and tap air bubbles out. Double-check that you still have the right amount of medicine drawn up.
- Remove the syringe from the vial and keep the needle clean.
- If you plan to put the syringe down, put the cover back on the needle.
Alternate Names
Administering injections; Giving a needle; Giving insulin
Update Date: 6/12/2012
Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.
MedlinePlus Topics
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2012, A.D.A.M., Inc. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized in writing by ADAM Health Solutions.
