A nurse is preparing to administer a mixed insulin dose of 10 units regular insulin and 20 units NPH insulin. What is the correct procedure for drawing up these insulins?
Draw up regular insulin first, then NPH insulin.
Draw up NPH insulin first, then regular insulin.
Mix both insulins in the vial before drawing up.
Use separate syringes for each insulin type.
The Correct Answer is A
A. Draw up regular insulin first, then NPH insulin: Regular insulin is clear and must be drawn up before NPH to prevent contamination of the regular insulin vial with the cloudy NPH. This maintains accurate dosing and preserves the pharmacologic integrity of the short-acting insulin.
B. Draw up NPH insulin first, then regular insulin: Drawing up NPH first risks contaminating the regular insulin vial with NPH, which can alter absorption and onset. This can lead to unpredictable glucose control and medication error.
C. Mix both insulins in the vial before drawing up: Insulins should never be mixed in the vial because this changes their individual action profiles. Mixing in the syringe after proper draw-up technique is the safe and accepted method.
D. Use separate syringes for each insulin type: Separate syringes are unnecessary when mixing compatible insulins like regular and NPH. Using one syringe reduces injections while still allowing accurate dosing when drawn up correctly.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. It helps the nurse determine any potential allergic reactions: Knowing the active ingredient allows the nurse to identify whether the patient has a known allergy to that substance. This is critical for preventing allergic reactions, including potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis, and ensures safe medication administration.
B. It specifies the manufacturer of the drug: While the label may include manufacturer information, this does not directly affect patient safety regarding allergies or correct administration.
C. It provides the therapeutic class of the medication: The therapeutic class can guide understanding of the drug’s purpose and mechanism, but it does not directly inform the nurse about individual allergy risk or adverse reactions.
D. It indicates the number of refills available: Refill information is administrative and unrelated to safe clinical administration or allergy assessment, so it does not serve the primary safety purpose of knowing the active ingredient.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Calculation:
- Set up the ratio and proportion
Ordered Dose : X = Available Dose : 1 Tablet
200 mg : X = 100 mg : 1
- Solve for X
X = (200 × 1) ÷ 100
X = 200 ÷ 100
X = 2 tablets
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