Mixing Insulin

[TigerGalLE, BSN, RN]

Can you/Do you mix Novolin 70/30 with Regular insulin?

I see nurses doing this.. I mean you can mix regular insulin with NPH and 70/30 is a mix of NPH and Regular... Soo it seems like this would be okay. But I was taught to never mix anything but NPH and Reg. Any ideas

Tiger

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

The only insulin I know of that you don't mix with anything is Lantus.

[jmgrn65, RN]

yes you can mix them. Clear to cloudy.

you can't mix Lantus.

[aeauooo]

But I was taught to never mix anything but NPH and Reg.

In the old days (back when insulin came from beef or pork) there was lente and ultra lente, and those could be mixed with regular insulin.

[yannadey, LPN]

Just had inservice on this.

No you cant mix 70/30 & regular

we had quite the discussion on this

we had it settled by calling the phamacist

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Found this online tool:

http://www.globalrph.com/insulin_mixing.htm

[nyapa, RN]

We've never mixed insulin. May be different policies...

[maire, ASN, RN]

Can you/Do you mix Novolin 70/30 with Regular insulin?

I see nurses doing this.. I mean you can mix regular insulin with NPH and 70/30 is a mix of NPH and Regular... Soo it seems like this would be okay. But I was taught to never mix anything but NPH and Reg. Any ideas

Tiger

At my facility, we are taught to "never mix a mix," and this straight from our diabetes educator.

Interesting how some people are taught different things!

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Reg and NPH are the only ones that should be mixed by the nurse. The ones that are 70/30 or 75/25 are pre-mixed.

Here is how I remember: all insulin is regular insulin when it gets to the blood stream. There are some products with additives to make them get there sooner or slower, depending on the desired outcome. So mixing can mean you are interferring with those additives and may end up with a product that does not act in the expected manner. When in doubt, don't.