Subcutaneous injection of insulin

Authors: Rednenko V.V., Rednenko L.I., Poplavets E.V.

Editor: Rednenko V.V.

Equipment for the practical skill:

• Workplace for injections and intravenous infusions (see PS1 - Preparing of the workplace for injections and intravenous infusions)
• Iinsulin in a vial
• 1 ml insulin syringe with integrated needle
• medical records

Clinical situation:

• You are a nurse at a hospital’s therapeutic department. The doctor prescribed to the patient a subcutaneous administration of insulin. Follow doctor's prescription

Order of the skill performance:

Preparatory stage:

• inform the patient about the injection, get verbal consent to giving it, ask him to take the required position
• prepare for injection (PS6 - Withdrawing of medicine from a vial into a syringe)
  • perform hygienic hand antiseptics
  • verify: the name and dose of a insulin
  • place a syringe of required volume and vial of insulin on the manipulative table
  • check the expiry date and integrity of the packaging of medical items and medication,
  • put on PPE (gloves)
  • prepare sterile swabs

Maine stage:

• Prepare the insulin vial
  • mix the suspension of insulin by rolling the vial between the palms
  • treat the vial (PS6 - Withdrawing of medicine from a vial into a syringe)
• Withdrawing of insulin
  • withdraw air into the syringe in the amount of the prescribed dose of insulin and inject it in the vial
  • withdraw the required medication into a syringe from the vial (PS6 - Withdrawing of medicine from a vial into a syringe) without a needle changing  
• Give subcutaneous injection of insulin (see PS8 - Subcutaneous injection)

Final stage:

• disinfect syringe and injection needle (see PS3 - Disinfection of disposable syringes and injection needles);
• take off the gloves, place it in the container “Disinfection of dressings, PPE” (see Removal contaminated gloves); 
• wash your hands (see Hygienic hand washing)
  
• register the medication administration in medical records;
• observe the patient for 5-7 minutes to detect an allergic reaction