hypoglycemic treatment for NPO patients

Nurses Medications

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Specializes in acute stroke/neurosurgery.

Can anyone tell me the current recommendations for hypoglycemic treatment for a patient that is alert/can swallow but NPO for surgery? My hospital's current guidelines only address patients responsive and able to swallow (4 oz. juice or 1 tube instant glucose for BG 41-69 and 8 0z juice or 2 tubes instant glucose for BG

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Specializes in Critical Care.

We have standing protocols, although we no longer treat a BG between 60 and 70 since 60-100 is the "new" normal for fasting BG. NPO for surgery actually has different time frames depending on what we're talking about, we allow fluids up until 2 hours prior to surgery, so they could still have juice prior to that even though they can't have food. Without IV access in an NPO patient we do buccally absorbed glucose.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

Our protocol includes an amp or a half amp of D50 (depending on glucose value) or a glucagon IM injection for NPO patients.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.
Our protocol includes an amp or a half amp of D50 (depending on glucose value) or a glucagon IM injection for NPO patients.

Ours as well.

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