Giving Insulin

MandyInMS · Dec 11, 2003

My answer would be to go get another insulin syringe..I was always taught never to give insulin with anything other than a specific insulin syringe..too much room for error there.

cannoli · Dec 13, 2003

So where is the original poster and what is the answer?

nekhismom · Dec 18, 2003

Did she fail? Is that why she hasn't posted again? Oh, this is like torture

LisaRN2B · Dec 18, 2003

I couldn't stand it any longer, so I emailed the OP. This was her response:

Dear lisa i lost my email and password **** ITS very important that someone tell all the nurses that responded and TRAUMA TOM _________ that my instructor took all my references and excepted them. I even informed her about all the good advise I got from the internet on all. nurses .com.....please thank everyone .I have been so busy trying to study for n-clex and going to job interviews.. talk to all of you soon ..........MUCH THANKS AND M-XMAS !!!!!!! WISHING ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND SUCCESS!!!!

Deedibal1969 · Jul 1, 2005

FIRST AND FOREMOST, an insulin syringe and a TB syringe marked in 0.01cc's can be used interchangeably BECAUSE they are equal. One MUST understand the math behind this issue.

u100 insulin means there are 100 units of insulin PER CC. Therefore, u100 insulin syringes are marked in 0.01's of a cc. One cc divided into 100 EQUAL parts, and one unit equals the VOLUME of 0.01 cc.

A TB syringe is one cc. IF the syringe is divided into 0.01's of a cc, what you have is one cc divded into 100 EQUAL parts.

Mathematical law: Equals (1 cc) divided by equals (100 parts) yields results which are equal (0.01 cc).

If, however, the syringe is divided into tenths or o.1cc's, there would be a problem. I DO NOT recall a TB syringe which was not divided into 100's of a cc. TB syringes have a slightly "larger" needle (26 guage) compared with the 28 or 29 gauge now available. It is difficult for me to believe the patient can truly perceive the difference between those two needles.

Another problem I have with the issue of a 10X overdose is the visual inspection by the person administering the drug. 5 units in an insulin syringe in NO WAY looks like 0.5 cc's. Using that theory, to administer anything more than 10 units (like 15 units) the individual would have to select a 3 cc syringe to draw up 1.5 cc's.

The divisions of the insulin syringe are labeled "units". However, the VOLUME of that unit is 0.01 cc. The divisions of the TB syringe are labeled 0.01 cc's. They deliver the VOLUME of 0.01.

This would only be true for u100 insulin. And, I do think that u100 insulin is all that is available for about the last 20 years. During the days of u40 and u70 insulin, it was necessary to have u40 or u70 insulin syringes. However, if it were needed, the volume COULD be calculated.

8 units of u40 insulin converted to u100 insulin would look like:

8u = 40

____________

Xu = 100

This is then cross multiplied -

40X = 800

Then divide each side of the equation by 40 to identify X

X = 20u of u100 insulin

At any rate. Either an accurate doseage volume can be calculated or it should not be given. In the case of u100 insulin, the substitution of a TB syringe marked in 0.01 cc's is an equal and therefore, acceptable substitution.