The nurse is preparing to administer an immunization to a toddler.Which action by the nurse is appropriate?

A) Grasp the body of the muscle during injection.
B) Place one hand above the knee and one below the knee to find the site.
C) Have the patient's knee flexed with the foot internally rotated.
D) Ask the mother to hold the toddler on his side.

The vastus lateralis is the preferred injection site for administration of immunizations to infants,toddlers,and children.With young children,it helps to grasp the body of the muscle during injection to be sure the medication is deposited in muscle tissue.The muscle is located on the anterior lateral aspect of the thigh.In an adult,one hand is placed above the knee and one below the greater trochanter to locate the muscle.To relax the muscle,the patient lies flat with the knee slightly flexed and the foot externally rotated or assumes a sitting position.A side-lying position would not be appropriate for this immunization.