Medication Monday: Bicillin

Hello my friends 👋🏼 you know what time it issss… Happy 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆! Today we are talking one of our most common antibiotics Penicillin. 

In this case, we are discussing 𝐁𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧. Bicillin is a penicillin antibiotic that is ONLY given intramuscularly. This medication comes with a 𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗕𝗢𝗫 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 that IV administration can be associated with cardio respiratory arrest and death. Therefore, always remember Bicillin is given as deep IM injection only. 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫?

🦠 Bacterial infections such as: 
〰️ Group A Streptococcus (strep throat)
〰️Rheumatic Fever, Prophylaxis
〰️Syphillis

𝐃𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐬:

💉600,000 units/1mL syringe
💉1.2 million units/2mL syringe
💉2.4 million units/4mL syringe

𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐌: 

🧒🏽Older children and adults: in the dorsogluteal or ventrogluteal ➖ depending on your facility policies
👶🏻Infants and small children: Vastus Lateralis

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:

❗️Hypersensitivity to any penicillins as this can lead to severe anaphylaxis
❗️Renal impairment

𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬:

▪️Clostridium difficile (C. diff) ➖this can occur after any antibiotic use due to the altering effect of the normal flora in the colon leading to overgrowth of C. diff in the gut. 
▪️Allergic reaction➖urticaria
▪️N/V
▪️Pain at injection site ➖site of injection will be very sore. 

⚠️The above information is not intended as medical advice. It is only educational.

’till next time,

The RN Educator