Persons with diabetes require special medications, treatments, and lifestyle changes to live normal lives. Because diabetics cannot secrete insulin themselves, or use the insulin they secrete properly, they need daily medications to lower their blood sugar and allow glucose to be absorbed by the body. Insulin is one of the medications most commonly prescribed for diabetic patients.

Insulin is measured in units, as with heparin. When you are drawing up insulin, you must use an insulin syringe that is measured in units to ensure accuracy. Insulin syringes are manufactured in 50 and 100 units.

But watch out! It is important to give the correct amount of insulin prescribed to each patient-no more and no less. Insulin, as with heparin, must be double-checked with another nurse before administration.

Source: Stressed Out About Drug Math, HCPro Inc., 2006. For more information on our series of Stressed Out books, visit www.stressedoutnurses.com