What would you do

Specialties Emergency

Published

A patient on insulin infusion 50 units to be infused over 10 hrs...received the entire amount in 30 minutes. you witnessed the incident ....what would u do

Are you asking about reporting this, or you actually don't know what kind of nursing care you would provide?

Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.

Homework?

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Since insulin is lighter than water I'd place the patient in the Trendelenberg position so the insulin will rise to the patient's feet and thus be absorbed over a longer period of time...?

5 Votes
Specializes in ER.

You have to put honey soaked dressings on their feet to prevent skin breakdown. Lack of sugar can cause necrosis...we see it in a ton of diabetics here.

1 Votes

It depends: is it closer to the start of my shift, or toward the end?

1 Votes
Specializes in Emergency.

Something similar happened on Nurse Jackie on the last (?) season.

And, as far as I am aware, insulin drips are a double RN check where you can't bypass the sign off in the flow sheets like you can with pressors. Granted, I guess this all depends on facility policy. In any case, it's a med error and likely to be reported which would result in either suspension or termination. Hopefully the hospital is unionized and not a right to fire facility.

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

Who orders insulin 50 units to be infused in 10 hours? no titration whatsoever based on glucose levels? it's on you if you even follow that order.

2 Votes

Get a fs bg and go from there.

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Omg, some of the replies have me LMAO! ?

OP, I would ensure patient safety first. It's always a legit starting point.

1 Votes
On ‎2‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 2:08 AM, canoehead said:

You have to put honey soaked dressings on their feet to prevent skin breakdown. Lack of sugar can cause necrosis...we see it in a ton of diabetics here.

More important, the topical absorption of the glucose in the honey should mitigate the effects of the insulin.

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