INSULIN GIVING TECHNIQUES

By: Maumita Patra

TEACHING OBJECTIVES

►Identify age appropriate injection site

►Instruct injection technique

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO:

►Choose age appropriate sites for injection

►Demonstrate correct injection technique using

insulin

WHERE TO INJECT THE INSULIN

Insulin should be injected into subcutaneous tissue. Proper techniques must be learn so that insulin is not injected too close to the outer skin (which may cause a lump, pain or a red spot) or too deep into the muscle (which may cause pain & insulin too be absorbed to quickly).

INJECTION SITE

The best places to give insulin are the:

►Any four quadrants of abdomen, always at least an inch away from the umbilicus.

►Front or outer aspects of both thighs.

►Upper outer area of buttocks.►Outer and rear surfaces of upper arms.

WHEN TO GIVE INSULIN

Generally:►Before meals or snacks

►For blood glucose level significantly above the

target range

►For moderate, large or increasing ketones

DOSE OF THE INSULIN

For many people, dose of insulin varies, depending upon:

►Blood glucose readings

►Food availability/preferences

►Physical activity level

►Age/body weight

INSULIN DELIEVERY DEVICES

Insulin can be given using three devices

►Insulin syringe

►Insulin pen(disposable & reusable)

►Insulin pump

Insulin syringes and pen needles are disposable & designed to be used once.

STEPS FOR INSULIN INJECTION

1> Get supplies

►Insulin

►Syringe

►Alcohol wipe

►Sharp containers

2> Wash hands

3> Roll bottle (if needed)

4> Wipe top of the bottle with alcohol swab

5> Pull plunger down to required units

6> Push needle into bottle

7>Pull plunger down

8>Pull plunger down to required units

9>Pick injection site wipe with alcohol swab

10>Pinch up skin, push needle into skin, push

plunger in

11>Pull needle out

Count slowly to 10 before removing the

syringe from the skin to ensure that the

dose has been properly delivered

12>Dispose syringe safely

INSULIN PENSAn insulin pen looks like a large fountain pen. There are two basic types:

►Disposable: already filled with insulin

►Reusable: have a replaceable cartridge of

insulin

►Disposable pen:

When pen is empty, expired, or has been open for a month, it is simply discarded

►Reusable pen:

A new pen needle to be screwed onto the pen with each injection

STEPS FOR USING PEN DEVICE

►Remove the cover

►Attach the pen needle to the insulin pen

►Expel the air from the needle

►Dial the dose to the number of units of insulin

needed

►Insert the pen needle into the layer of fat under

the skin

►Press the button at the top of the pen

►Count slowly to 10 before removing the insulin pen device from the skin for proper delivery of insulin

►Take the pen needle off after use and dispose

of it properly

INSULIN PUMP

• Battery operated device about the size of a pager

• Reservoir filled with insulin

• Computer chip with user control of insulin delivery

• Worn 24 hours per day

• Delivers one type of insulin

TIMING OF INJECTION IN RELATION TO MEALS

►Short acting insulin should be injected 30-45

minutes before a meal

►Rapid acting insulin should be injected not

more than 15min before a meal

►Intermediate acting insulin needs to be taken

in advance of when it is needed to act

►Long acting insulin can be taken at any time

THANK YOU