This study identified and evaluated the presence and extent of hematomas, pain and other complications after the administration of low-dose subcutaneous heparin. It compared applications using the conventional technique and applications with modified techniques in 60 patients hospitalized in an University Hospital in the interior of São Paulo State - Brazil. Each patient received four heparin injections, that is, two injections of each of the techniques mentioned. The site was observed after 24 hours. Results showed that hematomas were observed after the application of 83.7% of the injections. The thigh was the site with the highest incidence of hematomas, followed by the arm and the abdomen. There were no significant differences in the formation of hematomas caused by the two techniques. It was concluded that the techniques used for heparin application were probably not related to the formation of hematomas.
hematoma; heparin; nursing care