Insulin administration - Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

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Contents 1. Purpose 2 2. Introduction 2 3. Prescribing of insulin 2 4. Administration of insulin 2 5. Self administering 3 6. Mixing insulin 3 7. Insulin delivery devices 3 8. Timing of insulin injections 4 9. Injection sites and injection technique 4 10. Storage of insulin 5 Annex A Substitutions if a patients usual insulin is unavailable 6 Appendix 1 Insulin delivery devices 7 1. Purpose 1
1.1 The purpose of this protocol is to ensure that all insulin is administered safely and in accordance with best practice guidelines. 2. Introduction 2.1 As a result of significant numbers of patient safety incidents involving insulin the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) issued a Rapid Response Report in June 2010 regarding the safer administration of insulin (NPSA/2010./RRR013). 2.2 The two most common errors identified were: the inappropriate use of non-insulin (IV) syringes, which were marked in ml and not insulin units; and the use of abbreviations such as “U” or “IU” for units. 2.3 This protocol aims to reduce the risk of harm to inpatients which may be caused by the improper use of insulin. 2.4 A mandatory e-learning programme is also available to provide further training for those involved in the prescribing, preparation and administering of insulin from: www.diabetes.nhs.uk/safeuseofinsulin 3. Prescribing of insulin 3.1 The insulin prescription must be checked before each dose of insulin is given; it must be dated and signed. 3.2 The name of each insulin must be written out in full, followed by the word “Insulin” with the dose prescribed with the words “units” spelt in full and not abbreviated as “U” or “IU”. 3.3 Any abbreviation is unacceptable as it may be interpreted as a zero, with the consequence of an insulin overdose. 3.4 If a patients’ usual insulin is not available see Annex A for a suitable substitution which may be used until the patients own insulin can be obtained. 4. Administration of insulin 4.1 The Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Medicines Management Policy, available on the intranet, should be adhered to at all times with regard to the administration of all medicines. 4.2 All patients with diabetes who usually administer their own insulin should be enabled to continue doing so, if their condition permits this – see below. 5. Self administering 2
Page 1: PROTOCOL ON THE SAFE ADMINISTRATION
Page 5 and 6: Diabetes Specialist Nurses will sup
Page 7 and 8: Substitutions if a patients usual i

Insulin administration - Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

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