Red398 30 Posts Jun 21, 2016 In the LTC facility I worked at, each patient had their own vial and/or pen. I've noticed hospitals I've done my clinicals at share one vial in the med room, as stated.
kskarzin91 48 Posts Jun 21, 2016 Each patient has their own vial of sliding scale or 70/30. And pharmacy sends up lantus. Our unit is a 40 bed GI/ diabetic floor at a medium sized hospital. We give so much insulin a multi dose shared bottle isn't realistic. We'd be ordering a new bottle a couple times a day at least so it works out better if everyone has their own and takes it home with them when they leave.
psu_213, BSN, RN 3,878 Posts Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant. Has 14 years experience. Jun 21, 2016 At my facility, the floors use pens for just about every type of insulin (I believe 70/30 is the exception). The patient gets to keep the pen after discharge--with proper discharge teaching of course. The pharmacy would send up a vial if you had to give regular insulin IV (for example, for hyperkalemia).
TheCommuter, BSN, RN 226 Articles; 27,608 Posts Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych. Has 17 years experience. Jun 21, 2016 I've been a nurse since early 2006. Every facility where I've ever worked has issued each patient his or her own vial of insulin. I've never had to deal with multi-dose insulin vials at any point in my career.
AJJKRN 1,224 Posts Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown. Has 6+ years experience. Jun 21, 2016 We have multi dose vials for Novolog and Novolin R. You just draw up what you need in the med room but we keep it in the med room so all have access. No cosigner unless it's a gtt. Lantus comes up from the pharmacy but always has 5U of overfill.
CmacD 8 Posts Jun 21, 2016 We had multi dose vials per patient. Just recently we have gone exclusively to insulin pens.
Ladyscrubs 144 Posts Specializes in Nursey stuff. Has 36+ years experience. Jun 22, 2016 We have Insulin multidose vials, and also have communal inhalers (gross I know, all tossed in a basket on top of the pyxis)which are used with a personal spacer.
BSN-to-MSN, ADN, BSN, RN 398 Posts Specializes in SCRN. Has 9 years experience. Jun 22, 2016 Lantus comes up from the pharmacy but always has 5U of overfill.Why 5U overfill?
BSN-to-MSN, ADN, BSN, RN 398 Posts Specializes in SCRN. Has 9 years experience. Jun 22, 2016 SNF here, every patient has their own Novolog, Humulin, Lantus, etc. with tiny stickers on the bottles from pharmacy, held in one pink plastic container. Most are good for 28 days once opened. But if someone is totally out, ( no pharmacy on site, and STAT delivery means up to 4hrs), I have no problem borrowing. Patients need their insulin on time, end of story.
BSN16 389 Posts Specializes in ICU, trauma. Jun 22, 2016 Everyone gets their own pens at my hospital. love it, makes my life just a little bit easier
madricka, BSN, RN 123 Posts Specializes in Oncology, critical care. Has 16 years experience. Jun 22, 2016 I've only ever used the single-patient vials, regardless of insulin type. It comes from the pharmacy with the patient label on it and is never, ever shared with another patient. There are unopened stock vials if a patient runs out or pharmacy is closed or whatever. But no "community insulin".
NurseKatie08, MSN 754 Posts Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education. Has 15 years experience. Jun 22, 2016 Communal inhalers? Eww! If I were the patient I would refuse to take it! Spacer or no spacer We have Insulin multidose vials, and also have communal inhalers (gross I know, all tossed in a basket on top of the pyxis)which are used with a personal spacer.
