There are several scary moments in receiving a diabetes diagnosis and it seems that the fear grows stronger as time goes on. One thing that many people are most concerned with is how they’ll manage in delivering doses of insulin to their bodies. This is a scary thought because unfortunately, things can go wrong but with the proper guidance, it can be done correctly. The basics are easy to understand and become a little easier as you become comfortable with the process of delivering the insulin as prescribed.
Always know the type of syringe to use for insulin delivery because they come in various sizes. The size to be used depends on the prescribed dosage and a doctor or pharmacist can help to ensure that the proper size syringe is being used for delivery. Next, you’ll need to follow the necessary steps for drawing up 1 type of insulin into the syringe. Begin by making sure that all supplies are at hand, properly mix the intermediate or long-acting insulin, prep the bottle, pull air into the syringe, check for bubbles and remove then needle from the insulin vial. Place the needle away from all surfaces, assuring that it doesn’t become contaminated.
The process for drawing up two types of insulin involves a few more steps than above. Follow the same steps for one type but after the injection of air into the intermediate or long-acting insulin bottle, inject air into the bottle of short-acting insulin. Next, draw the short-acting insulin up, making sure this is done prior to drawing the long-acting insulin up. Pull the needle’s plunger to absorb a bit more than the amount of insulin required for prescribed dosage. Rinse any bubble if there are any and then proceed to take the needle out of the insulin vial. Now, it’s time to draw up intermediate insulin to include the complete number of units prescribed. DO NOT suction extra insulin into this dosage because it can’t be returned to the bottle due to being mixed. Remove the syringe and lay it down in a sterile area until ready for usage.
Careful and precise delivery of insulin is important for diabetics and failure to follow guidelines can result in serious complications. It’s a good idea to enlist the assistance of a support person or medical personnel until comfortable with doing it alone.
The process of Delivering Insulin to the body can go smoothly when following the necessary steps. Medtronic values the importance of quality training for those who have to administer insulin to themselves or others.
