please help with Learning all about Insulin

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I am a new Grad with a New job in LTC. I am trying to learn all I can about the drugs I give especially Insulin. I don't know why I am having a hard time "getting" all the differnt kinds/names of insulin, when to give/ peak action... all that. I keep reading and reading and it just doesn't stick.

Does anyone know of a site or literature that explains everything I need to know in a simple easy to learn format.

thanks in advace

Beatrice

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Specializes in nursing education.

I ran into this today.

http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/18/124/Insulin_Clinician5.pdf It's short with some good takeaways.

There is a diagram on page two that might help you compare and remember them.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

there are plenty of websites about insulin. Check out diabetes.org

I remember the "logs" (Humalog & Novolog) because if I had to walk on a log I would fall off RAPIDLY. These work in 5-15 minutes but leave the body in as little as 20 minutes (up to 2 hours). So they go with food.

Humulin and Novolin and brand names for Regular (short-acting) and NPH (intermediate acting). These are unfortunate names IMHO as they are confused with the logs. R and N doses are generally TEN TIMES greater than logs, so be careful about the names. These sometimes come in a mix together or R with a log.

I recommend printing off a grid found online. Keep that on your clipboard or in your locker or laminate a pocket sized version and carry with you. Be very careful when getting history from patients and family. Frequently they confuse the names and some think that all insulin is the same. Best to visualize the bottle or pen. Glad you are seeking info as this is the #1 class of meds related to medication errors

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This is the Pink Panther Diabetes book published by the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes in Denver. Chapter 8 does a great job covering insulins and can be read on this link.

http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/medicalschool/centers/BarbaraDavis/Documents/book-understandingdiabetes/ud08.pdf

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Specializes in nursing education.
R and N doses are generally TEN TIMES greater than logs, so be careful about the names.

Not true at all. While different people may respond a bit differently to different brands or types of insulin, generally speaking, a unit is a unit (assuming we are talking about U-100 insulin). The onset, peak, and duration are what is different. People with insulin resistance will need a lot more insulin than those without.

Medscape has some good resources too on the different types of insulin- check those out if you have not already.

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Thanks CDEWannabe! what great information. easy to read and understand and a great chart I can copy and keep for reference.

Bea

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Glad it helped. As a kid and teen my diabetes was overseen by the great team at the Barbara Davis Center. I didn't always do what they recommended, but the doctors worked hard to educate and encourage me to fit diabetes management into real life.

Another good diabetes book is Riva Greenberg's "50 Diabetes Myths That Can Ruin Your Life; And the 50 Diabetes Truths That Can Save It." I found it helpful as a longtime type 1 and the book was life changing to my dad-in-law when he was diagnosed with type 2 a few years ago.

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