Does nights or first shift give your insulin?

Nurses General Nursing

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In my 25 bed hospital, nights does fingerstick blood sugars between 6-7am, and our shift ends at 7:30. Days comes out of report at 7:30 and gives sliding scale insulin based on the blood sugars nightshift did. Which shift does these responsibilities in your facility?

Jessica

Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.

Our night shift checks the blood glucose at 6:00am, but the day shift gets there at 7:00 and they give the insulin.

Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.

:nurse: 's on day shift do BS checks at 0730,1130 ,1630 and 2200, the nurse that is working these times give the insulin.

The only time night shift does BS and gives insulin for day shift is when the doc has ordered for 0600 Bs checks.

Specializes in cardiac med-surg.

we do our own chems

we give our am insulin at 0830 when breakie arrives

Specializes in Nurse Anesthesia, ICU, ED.
:nurse: 's on day shift do BS checks at 0730,1130 ,1630 and 2200, the nurse that is working these times give the insulin.

The only time night shift does BS and gives insulin for day shift is when the doc has ordered for 0600 Bs checks.

[sarcasm] So the day shift works from before 0730 till after 2200? That would suck. [/sarcasm]

Specializes in LTC and MED-SURG.

I work in LTC and accucheks are scheduled for all 3 shifts. 0630 1130 1630 and 2130 with insulin given.

Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

If it's regular insulin, we give it on nights. If it's Novolog or another rapid acting insulin days gives it w/breakfast based on the numbers we get between 06:30 and 07:00.

Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.
[sarcasm] So the day shift works from before 0730 till after 2200? That would suck. [/sarcasm]

Are we being a little nitpicky here? :rolleyes:

Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

I've seen it two different ways but with rare exceptions the nurse on whichever shift did the accucheck gives the insulin coverage. If the night nurse does the accucheck (s)he gives the insulin. Exception: if the pt is very low at 6-7 AM the night nurse may give glucose or juice since breakfast is awhile off, then recheck the level. This is reported to the day nurse and insulin held (usually, depends on MD). One place I've worked does all AM accuchecks at 800 and everywhere I've been if the pt is on an insulin like humalog that needs to be given with meals the accucheck is done right before mealtime.

I really don't feel comfortable giving the insulin coverage if I haven't done the fingerstick.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Completing the O.R. course.

I work straight night at a nursing home and I have to do the BS checks between 0530 and 0600. Day shift starts at 0700 but does not give insulin until 0800-0830 with breakfast. If the residents BS is below 5 I give juice or glucogon if needed.

Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.
If it's regular insulin we give it on nights. If it's Novolog or another rapid acting insulin days gives it w/breakfast based on the numbers we get between 06:30 and 07:00.[/quote']

Us too.

Thanks for the input. There is some discussion about our policy changing and nights may start giving insulin, I was just wondering what the norm was.

Jessica

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