Question

A nurse is caring for a client who has a prescription for 5 units of regular insulin and 10 units of NPH insulin to mix together and administer subcutaneously. Determine the correct order of steps for this procedure.

Option 1: Draw up the prescribed amount of regular insulin into the syringe.
Option 2: Draw up the prescribed amount of NPH insulin into the syringe.
Option 3: Inject air into the NPH insulin vial.
Option 4: Inject air into the regular insulin vial.

Answer 1

The correct order of steps for mixing and administering regular insulin and NPH insulin is to inject air into the regular insulin vial, draw up the prescribed amount of regular insulin into the syringe, inject air into the NPH insulin vial, and finally draw up the prescribed amount of NPH insulin into the syringe.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct order of steps for mixing and administering regular insulin and NPH insulin is as follows:

1. Option 4: Inject air into the regular insulin vial.
2. Option 1: Draw up the prescribed amount of regular insulin into the syringe.
3. Option 3: Inject air into the NPH insulin vial.
4. Option 2: Draw up the prescribed amount of NPH insulin into the syringe.

Injecting air into the vials creates positive pressure, making it easier to draw the insulin into the syringe. Drawing up regular insulin first reduces the risk of contamination of the NPH insulin. It is important to follow these steps precisely to ensure accurate dosing and proper administration.