[Joycean]

What is your current standard when giving insulin to patients?

[frankie]

We currently give insulin almost exclusivly by adding into TPN - iv therapy. I did have a nurse once misunderstand a doctors handwriting - he wrote 15 u - she took this slurred u and thought the doctor ordered 150 units of NPH insulin. She gave it to the patient. This was an ER - the patient was given alot of D50W and admitted. The nurse quit. frankie

[Nurse K-Bear]

Always no matter what type of insulin is checked by another nurse. This is the way I was taught and it is the policy of the hospital. Although we do not have to document the second nurses initials anywhere.

[pebbles]

No double checking at my facility. Just given, five rights, one nurse, like other meds.

Only thing we *have* to two-nurse check is epidurals, I think.

[Joycean]

The Pharmacists at our facility brought this to the attention of the hospital P&P Counsel. Apparently this is coming from a national level and is due to sentinal events. I was taught to double check insulin long ago in nursing school and have seen it go away over the years ( I see some nurses continue the practice). I will take the info from this thread back to the counsel. When this is put into policy, it will require documentation of the double check. Thanks for the input/info!

[misti_z]

We do not have any policy for double chcking insulin dosages. Although I personally get a 2nd nurse to check usually high doses and any IV doses, as do most other nurses on my floor.

[globalRN]

no 2 nurse checks

[Brownms46]

Originally posted by Joycean
The Pharmacists at our facility brought this to the attention of the hospital P&P Counsel. Apparently this is coming from a national level and is due to sentinal events. I was taught to double check insulin long ago in nursing school and have seen it go away over the years ( I see some nurses continue the practice). I will take the info from this thread back to the counsel. When this is put into policy, it will require documentation of the double check. Thanks for the input/info!

I two was taught a long time ago to have another nurse check insulin prior to given, just because of the what Frankie posted about and I someone else also. The fact that there have been misinterpretation of the U when transcribing a med. On assignments I have rarely had another nurse ask me to check insulin with her, but I always ask someone to check with me. And no one has ever given me a problem or asked why I was having them check with me. So it leaves me to believe that many have been taught to do the same thing. I think doing a two nurse check of insulin especailly where you have written orders from MDs who write so badly, is a check to avoid a med error that I have seen and heard of happening way too much.

[stressedlpn]

I always have someone check with me on iv and high doses, it is not hospital policy just the way I was taught,

[Bermuda]

We do not have a policy in writing stating insulin should be checked by 2 nurses..but I was taught that way many moons ago and it seems to be the exception to the rule..myself and 1 other nurse check each other and the other girls tease us...girls from old school but it only takes a minute to be right...just my thing...