INSULIN DRIPS

[mombuxx]

I'm sort of taking a survey! Can anyone tell me what department (ICU, SDU, Med/Surg) you handle your insulin drips, and what is your patient ratio in that department? Also, any other related comments would be helpful! Thanks!!

[tazz_rn]

ICU and 2:1

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[Bringonthenight]

Any floor ratio of anywhere between 1:1-1:10.

Hourly finger pricks with sliding scale.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

(Peds hospital)

PICU only, 2:1 nurse : patient ratio MAX.

If 1:1 - no admits for that RN, but can take over another nurse's patient to allow admits.

[SaoirseRN]

Med surg. We usually try not to have insulin drips on the floor because they are heavy workload when our ratios are 1:4 or 1:5.

We have a pre-printed protocol, which starts with an insulin bolus based on blood glucose reading, followed by hourly-adjusted drip rate based on the bolus and bg readings. The required monitoring is stated right on the protocol/order sheet and we keep a copy on our (still paper) MAR to reference.

We do try to send insulin drips to ICU for the workload rationale, but it isn't always possible when we only have 5 ICU beds.

[bostonrnbsn]

Medsurg, up to 5 pts with hourly blood sugar checks and titration at times... Blah!

[lmccrn62, MSN, RN]

I work in Pennsylvania and on med-surg floor 1:5 or 1:6. High mark of Pennsylvania gives money to hospitals and insulin drips, crazy insulin coverages are all too common. I think it's unsafe and risky!

[SwansonRN]

ICU 1-2 BS checks per protocol anywhere from q15-q2h.

Other medical floors and Step Downs have insulin gtts, but they have to be less than x units/hr and their blood sugars need to be relatively stable.