How to give an insulin injection

How to give an insulin injection?

Diabetes is a condition that develops because of elevated levels of glucose or blood sugar in the bloodstream, many people with diabetes take insulin every day to help keep their blood sugar at a normal healthy level.

 There are many ways to take insulin such as with a syringe pen or pump this article will review how to draw up and give an injection of insulin using a syringe, there are many types of insulin many although majority of people take two types of insulin which are 

• Long-acting
• Rapid-acting 

Your doctor will tell you what kind of insulin to take how much to take and when to take it most people with diabetes take insulin with meals  and at bedtime insulin will spoil if it gets too hot or too cold you need to store it properly in order for it to keep working.

Keep insulin at a temperature between 36 degrees Fahrenheit to 86 degrees Fahrenheit in most cases that means you can leave open bottles at room temperature most insulin lasts 28 days after opening put a date on the bottle to remind you when to throw it away keep unopened bottles in the refrigerator and the insulin will stay good through the expiration date on the label.

Learning how to draw up insulin from the bottle takes practice your nurse or a diabetes educator will help you learn to draw up insulin.

• Use a clean flat surface to place your insulin syringe and other supplies but before any procedure wash your hands with soap and water check the label to make sure the insulin has not spoiled expired or been open longer than 28 days.

• Wipe the top of the insulin bottle with alcohol swab.

• Remove the cap from the needle pull back the syringes plunger to the number of units of insulin you'll be taking this will pull air into the syringe.

•  Push the needle through the rubber top of the insulin bottle while it is on the flat surface push the plunger all the way down to push the air in the syringe into the bottle this makes it easier to draw out the insulin.

• keep the needle in the bottle and turn the bottle upside down draw up the dose of insulin you need you may see air bubbles in the syringe to remove air bubbles push all the insulin back into the bottle and draw up the dose again you can also tap the top of the syringe to make the bubbles rise to the top push the bubbles back into the bottle.

• If needed pull back on the plunger again until you have the correct amount of insulin in the syringe having bubbles in the syringe will not harm you however bubbles take the place of insulin so you will not be getting the full amount you need.

• Once the bubbles are removed take the needle out of the bottle when you have the correct dose of insulin.

•  Once you have the right amount of insulin in the syringe have another person check that you drew up the right dosage.

• Give the shot in a place where you have at least half an inch of fat under the skin the best areas are the stomach buttocks outer thigh and back of the upper arm be sure to rotate to different areas each time you inject if you do not you can cause injury and scarring to the tissue and the insulin may not be absorbed.

•  Inject insulin at least 2 inches away from the belly button do not give shots near moles or scars choose two different places for each shot when taking two shots at one time.

• Once you have chosen an injection site clean your skin with an alcohol swab and let it dry before giving the shot.

•  Pick up the syringe like you would hold a pencil and take off the needle cap using your other hand and gently pinch the cleaned area into a three inch fold do not squeeze the skin hard or you might squeeze out the insulin.

• Insert the needle into your skin at a 90 degree angle if you are using a short needle or insert the needle into your skin at a forty-five degree angle if you are using a long needle this makes sure you are injecting the insulin into fat instead of muscles.

• Push the plunger down until all of the insulin is gone from the syringe wait 10 seconds then pull out the needle.

• Do not take more insulin if any of it leaks out just make a note in your insulin and blood sugar log.

• Do not rub the injection site this can cause the insulin to be absorbed too fast.

• For safety be sure to throw away the syringe after one use.

• Never reuse or share used syringes with another person injecting insulin takes practice ask your diabetes educator nurse or doctor if you need help or more.