Which action is appropriate for administering an intradermal injection?

Which action is appropriate for administering an intradermal injection?

• A. Displace the skin to the side and inject at a 15 degree angle
• B. Position the needle bevel up at 15 degrees
• C. Position the needle bevel up at 45 degrees
• D. Position the needle bevel up at 90 degrees with a dart-like motion

Answer: (B)

Injecting into the dermis requires placing a tiny amount just under the epidermis, so the needle stays in the superficial skin layer. To achieve that, position the needle bevel up and insert at a shallow angle, about 10 to 15 degrees. Keeping the skin taut helps you stay in the dermis instead of slipping into subcutaneous tissue. This technique typically produces a small bleb, confirming the injection is in the right plane. Using a larger angle or a 90-degree “dart-like” entry would drive the solution deeper into subcutaneous tissue or muscle and is not appropriate for intradermal injections. Displacing the skin to the side isn’t part of the standard intradermal approach, where a shallow, bevel-up entry with taut skin is key.

Injecting into the dermis requires placing a tiny amount just under the epidermis, so the needle stays in the superficial skin layer. To achieve that, position the needle bevel up and insert at a shallow angle, about 10 to 15 degrees. Keeping the skin taut helps you stay in the dermis instead of slipping into subcutaneous tissue. This technique typically produces a small bleb, confirming the injection is in the right plane. Using a larger angle or a 90-degree “dart-like” entry would drive the solution deeper into subcutaneous tissue or muscle and is not appropriate for intradermal injections. Displacing the skin to the side isn’t part of the standard intradermal approach, where a shallow, bevel-up entry with taut skin is key.