The healthcare provider prescribes streptomycin 200 mg IM every 12 hours. The vial is labeled, "Streptomycin 1 gram/2.5 mL." How many milliliters should the nurse administer? (Enter numerical value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.)

A. Inject in abdominal area at least 2 in (5.1 cm) from the umbilicus:

This instruction is accurate and appropriate for the administration of low molecular weight heparin subcutaneously. Injecting into the abdominal area at least 2 inches (5.1 cm) away from the umbilicus is a commonly recommended site for subcutaneous injections due to the availability of subcutaneous tissue and the reduced risk of injury to underlying structures.

B. Rotate injections between the abdomen and gluteal areas:

While rotation of injection sites is important to prevent tissue damage and lipodystrophy, for subcutaneous injections of low molecular weight heparin, the abdomen is typically the preferred site due to better absorption and reduced risk of complications. Therefore, rotating between the abdomen and gluteal areas may not be necessary or recommended for this specific medication.

C. Expel the air in the prefilled syringe prior to injection:

Expelling air from the prefilled syringe is a standard practice to ensure accurate dosing and prevent air embolism, but it is not specific to the administration of low molecular weight heparin. This instruction should be included in general injection technique education but is not specific to the administration of this medication.

D. Massage the injection site to increase absorption:

Massaging the injection site after administration of low molecular weight heparin is not recommended, as it can increase the risk of bleeding or hematoma formation at the injection site. Massaging the site is generally contraindicated for anticoagulant injections to avoid disrupting the clotting process.

To find out how many milliliters the nurse should administer, we first need to calculate the volume required to deliver 200 mg of streptomycin.

Given:

Streptomycin concentration: 1 gram/2.5 mL

Dose prescribed: 200 mg

We'll start by converting the dose prescribed from milligrams (mg) to grams (g) since the concentration is given in grams:

200 mg = 0.2 grams

Now, we can set up a proportion to find the volume (x) needed to deliver 0.2 grams of streptomycin:

1 gram / 2.5 mL = 0.2 grams / x

Cross-multiplying:

1 * x = 0.2 * 2.5

x = 0.5 mL

So, the nurse should administer 0.5 milliliters of streptomycin.