Nursing Interventions for Hypoglycemia

[sorin_sideways]

i am attending to another patient after breakfast when i notice mrs d slumped in her chair; her breakfast is untouched in her tray. on nursing hand over she had her 7am insulin. what are my immediate nursing actions in order of priority for mrs d over the next 30 mins?

any help would be greatful

regards, sorin

[rubystar]

What ideas did you have so far?

First priority is ABC, it's a guess that she is like this because of hypoglycemia without doing an assessment.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

step #1 - assess (collect data).

mrs d is slumped over in her chair

her breakfast is untouched in her tray

she had her 7am insulin

step #2 - problem determination

she's had insulin and uneaten food is in front of her so it's a good bet that she's hypoglycemic, but it's not the only possibility.

step #3 - plan

• attempt to arouse the patient, she may just be sleeping
  
• get a fingerstick blood sugar.
  
  • if it does give you a blood sugar within normal limits get the patient in the bed, get a set of vital signs and a head-to-toe assessment and call the physician. she's have a neuro event.
    
  • if it does not give you a figure, i would get the patient in the bed, get a set of vital signs and a quick head-to-toe assessment. call the physician and ask for a lab blood draw for blood sugar.
    
    • anticipate giving glucagon or starting an iv and giving d50w iv push.
      
      

    [*]if it does gives you a low blood sugar, attempt to give the patient orange juice (a simple sugar).

    • if the patient is able to take oral orange juice and as she becomes more alert, follow it with a more complex carbohydrate like milk and crackers.
      
    • recheck the blood sugar.
      

[sorin_sideways]

Thanks Daytonite and rubystar for your replys they helped alot! :)