Page 29 - The SA Journal Diabetes & Vascular Disease Volume 9 No 4 (November 2012)
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SA JOURNAL OF DIABETES & VASCULAR DISEASE
VOLUME 9 NUMBER 4 • NOVEMBER 2012
171
How to Guide
HITTING THE SPOT: INJECTION
TECHNIQUE USING AN INSULIN PEN
S Afr J Diabetes Vasc Dis
2012;
9
: 171–172
Bev Cox
Clinical Lead, Education for Health, Warwick;
Nurse Practitioner, Coventry
T
his article provides a simple guide to the
do’s and don’ts of insulin injection tech-
nique, taking you through the steps that
patients need to go through to inject their insulin
correctly.
Insulin is a protein, which means that it cannot
be taken by mouth as it would be broken down by
the digestive juices and rendered inactive. For this
reason, insulin has to be given by injection just under
the skin, in the subcutaneous layer. From here, it can
be absorbed into the body and used to help control
blood glucose levels.
These days, most patients inject insulin using a
pen. Pens are either fully disposable or can be re-
loaded with cartridges of insulin. Insulin pens are
simple and reliable, which is why most patients have
now switched over from insulin injections using sy-
ringes and needles. With an insulin pen, the insulin
is already contained within the device and the dose
simply has to be marked up on the pen and injected.
A useful video showing how to inject using an insulin
pen is available from
/
how-to-use-adisposable-insulin-pen
PREPARE THE INJECTION
Insulin is available in prefilled disposable pens or in
cartridges, which are inserted into the barrel of the
pen and thrown away when they are empty. When a
new pen is used for the first time, two units of insulin
should be dialled up as a test dose to show that the
device is working properly.
Patients should be advised always to check that
the insulin has not passed its expiry date. Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions regarding preparing the
insulin for injection – some insulins are ready to use
immediately, others need to be mixed by rolling the
pen between the palms 15–20 times before they are
ready to use.
CHOOSE YOUR INJECTION SITE
The upper arms, fronts or sides of the thighs, ab-
dominal wall or even the buttocks are all suitable
sites for insulin injection. The injection site should be
rotated to ensure a break between injections. Failure
to rotate the sites can result in fatty lumps appearing
under the skin – a condition known as lipodystrophy.
If insulin is injected into one of these lumpy areas
it will not be absorbed properly and this will affect
blood glucose control.
PREPARE THE SKIN AND DEVICE
Wash your hands thoroughly and dry them care-
fully. There is no need to use an alcohol swab on
the injection site as long as the skin is clean.
The correct number of units of insulin should
be dialled up on the pen and a fresh needle at-
tached. Needles are available in a variety of sizes
and the correct size should be prescribed. Needles
should be attached immediately prior to injecting
and should not be left on after the injection has
been completed.
Originally in
Br J Prim Care Nursing
2009
