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While doing clinicals in the ICU I had the RN tell me that you should not inject more than 5u of insulin per injection site because the body cannot absorb more than that from one location. So for a patient that needs 15 units for example you would inject 5u in upper arm, 5u a few inches lower and 5u a few inches lower-all from the same needle and syringe.
I had never heard this so I asked him if he was taught this in nursing school. He said no but his brother who is an NP at a diabetes clinic teaches it to all his patients. I have scoured the internet for research to back this up but have not come across anything.
Has anyone heard this before? Do you believe its true? Is there research to back it up?
The nurse who told you this should be following the hospital policy regarding insulin administration, not the suggestion of a family member (whether they are health care providers or not). In twelve years of nursing, I have never heard of this before and if I were the patient, I would probably refuse and take my own insulin instead. And using the same syringe for multiple injections is a direct violation of infection control standards and unaccepatable in any setting. Kudos to you for questioning this idea. I suggest you not take this nurses advise and if he insists, let him give in the injections in an unsafe mannor himself and report this to your instructor/supervisor.
Yep. And for those who aren't impaling themselves multiple times daily- yeah- you can feel the difference between a new needle or lancet and an "experienced" one
I used to reuse lancets d/t cost issues (lancets aren't THAT expensive, but it all adds up). Now, I use new everything every time.
Zen123
113 Posts
:chair: i can see the resident now bolting to take off when they see me come with all those shots!