Insulin drip/hourly BG checks

MunoRN, RN · Dec 23, 2012

Back when everyone was on "tight control" (80-110), those patients were only in ICU. Now that best practice is to let them get up to 150 or even 180, we do insulin drips with a ratio as high as 5:1 on nights, 4:1 on days.

SionainnRN · Dec 23, 2012

In my hospital anyone on an insulin drip has to either be on a monitored unit (cause their ratios are lower) or in the ED cause, you know, we have nothing but free time.

boricualuna · Dec 24, 2012

Pts on insulin drip are only admitted to the CCU at the facility I work at. Pts can not transfer until the drip has be D/C.

PediLove2147, BSN, RN · Dec 24, 2012

If a pt needs an insulin drip they are sent to the ICU. We don't have the ratios to accommodate hourly BG checks.

NurseKatie08, MSN · Dec 24, 2012

We take insulin gtts on our medsurg unit. We have a GI/Organ Transplant focus with a few tele beds. I've had pts on insulin gtts with 3 other patients (usually we have 4-5 pts between 0700-2300 and up to 6 2300-0700).

KBICU · Dec 24, 2012

Insulin gtts are primarily in ICU and the cardiovascular surgical unit where I work given the patient population of post CABG patients. The ratio remains the same, 3 pts on days, 4 on eves and 5-6 on nights. Medsurg units are able to have insulin gtts if needed, but not sure of the ratio for patients there.

anneuhbanana · Dec 25, 2012

I work on a medsurg floor where it's a 5:1 ratio and we get insulin drips. They usually try to give a nurse only one, but your four other patients could have heparin drips etc and you still have your hands full.

squatmunkie_RN · Dec 25, 2012

I've had an insulin gtt with 6 telemetry patients (meaning 6 pt's total). At my hospital money is far more important than anything else. If you're lucky a co-worker would offer to do a check for you when you're too busy to go in right on the hour.

liveyourlife747 · Dec 27, 2012

We recently had a policy change that all insulin gtts have to be done on a monitored unit, usually pcu or Ccu. Saves us med surg nurses a lot of running and worrying! I'm very happy they implemented this new change.

Bec7074 · Dec 31, 2012

I worked on a med surg that took insulin gets with 1:4 ratio. Insulin ggts we're more common in the PCU I worked in with 1:3-4. I think it's very much facility specific.

SaoirseRN · Dec 31, 2012

I have looked after patients with insulin drips on a general med/surg floor, but not for a while so it's likely there may have been a policy change. Usually I see them most often in the ICU or telemetry.