A device for administering injections includes a housing having an upper end, a lower end including a bottom surface with an injection needle opening, and an axis extending between the upper and lower ends. The device includes a needle housing with an injection needle. The needle housing is disposed within the housing for moving between a retracted position and an extended position. The device has an injection actuator for commencing an injection cycle including a first stage in which the needle housing and said plunger base are coupled together and move in a first direction along the axis and a second stage in which the needle housing and the plunger base are decoupled from one another so that the plunger base is free to move away from the needle housing in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.
