Mixing Insulin

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Specializes in NICU.

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

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

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

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

yes you can mix them. Clear to cloudy.

you can't mix Lantus.

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Specializes in neuro, ICU/CCU, tropical medicine.
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.

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Specializes in LTC, Alzheimers, hospice.

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

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

Found this online tool:

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

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Specializes in Jack of all trades, and still learning.

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

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Specializes in Adult Med-Surg, Rehab, and Ambulatory Care.
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!

:confused:

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

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.

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