PREPARATION

PREPARING FROM A LARGE VIAL FOR ALL OIL OR WATER BASED STEROIDS

Ensure the surface where you are going to prepare your injection is stable, clean and free of clutter.

Check that all equipment packaging is in date and undamaged. If not, discard the equipment in a sharps bin.

Have all your injecting equipment laid out prior to preparation, this should include:

• The vial of solution to be used
• 1 x 2ml syringe
• 1 x green needle to draw up the solution
• 1 x blue needle (23 gauge, 11/4”)
• 2 x sterile swap
• A sharps bin (with lid open)
• Clean tissue or cotton pad (if you intend to inject straight after preparation)

Wash your hands thoroughly prior to preparation.

• Remove the cap from the vial and wipe the top with a sterile swab
• Attach a green needle to the syringe and remove the needle cap
• Draw back the plunger of the syringe to the same level as the amount you are going to
  draw from the vial
• Insert the green needle into the vial and push down the plunger to inject the air into the
  vial
• With the needle and syringe still inserted turn the vial upside down and draw up the
  required amount of solution
• Withdraw the needle and syringe from the vial
• Pull back the plunger slightly, remove the green needle and place into a sharps bin
• Attach a blue needle to the end of the syringe but leave the cap on until ready to
  administer the injection

PREPARING FROM AN AMPOULE

Ensure the surface where you are going to prepare your injection is stable, clean and free of clutter.

Check that all equipment packaging is in date and undamaged. If not, discard the equipment in a sharps bin.

Have all your injecting equipment laid out prior to preparation, this should include:

• The ampoule of solution to be drawn up from
• An ampoule snapper
• 1 x 2ml syringe
• 1 x green needle for drawing up the solution
• 1 x blue needle (23 gauge, 11/4”)
• A sharps bin with the lid open
• 1 x sterile wipe
• A clean tissue or cotton pad (if you are going to inject straight after preparation)

Wash your hands thoroughly prior to preparation.

• Attach a green needle to a 2ml barrel – keep the needle capped
• Hold the ampoule upright and flick the top gently to ensure all the solution is below the
  snap line around the neck of the ampoule
• Snap the ampoule – preferably using an amp snapper
• Remove the cap from the green needle and insert into the ampoule
• Carefully draw up the solution and withdraw from the ampoule
• Place the empty ampoule into the sharps bin
• Pull the plunger back slightly
• Remove the green needle and place into a sharps bin
• Attach a new blue needle to the barrel but keep the needle capped until ready to
  administer the injection

If you do not have an amp snapper;

• Wrap a tissue or paper towel around the ampoule,
• Hold the top of the ampoule with thumb and first finger, and the bottom of the ampoule
  with thumb and first finger of other hand.
• Ensure the coloured dot is facing up push the top of the ampoule away from the dot.