Learn the importance of and how to give an insulin pen injection.
Let’s get started by washing our hands it’s important to always wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds prior to giving an insulin injection insulin helps take the glucose in your blood and move it into your cells to provide energy all patients with type 1 diabetes and many patients with type 2 diabetes need insulin to lower their blood
Sugar many patients need two different types of insulin basal or long-acting insulin is insulin given once or twice daily to control your blood sugar overnight and between meals basil insulin should be taken every day regardless of eating bolus or meal time insulin is given with the first bite of a meal and prevents a large spike in your blood sugar after eating
Bolas insulin should be skipped if you skip a meal insulin should be given in the abdomen back of the arm upper leg or top of the bottom injections should be rotated to different locations every time even if you always inject in your stomach move your injection site a few inches each time but always stay two inches away from your belly button rotating the side
Of injection will help reduce the risk of scar tissue development or infection gather your supplies if you use an insulin pen you will need your pen a pen needle and two alcohol wipes if you use an insulin vial you will need the vial a syringe and two alcohol wipes you should use a new pen needle or syringe for every injection we’ll start with how to give an
Injection with an insulin pen first clean your injection site with an alcohol wipe make sure to let the alcohol dry before injecting take the cap off your pen and wipe it clean with the second alcohol wipe take a new pen needle and peel off the paper backing twist the pen needle on your pen attach the pen needle immediately before you give an injection and
Do not store the insulin pen with a pen needle attached the pen needle has two caps an outer cap and an inner cap take off the clear outer cap and save it carefully take off the inner cap exposing the needle before every injection you should prime the needle or give a test shot of insulin turn the pen dial to two units turn the pen so that the pen needle is
Pointed straight up press the button and you will see a spray or drops of insulin at the end of the pen needle priming the pen needle gets all the air out of the needle and ensures that the pen is working and dose is accurate now dial the pen to the dose prescribed by your doctor you are ready to give the injection if you are using a nano pen needle there is
No reason to pinch your skin for all other length pen needles gently pinch your skin where you are going to inject inject at a 90 degree angle into your skin push the pen button and watch the dial turn down to zero count to ten before removing the needle put the clear outer cap back on the pen needle and twist off to remove the needle never store your pen with
A used needle attached put the cap back on the pen to keep it clean all sharps should be disposed in a sharps container you can make your own sharps container by using a hard plastic bottle like a laundry detergent or milk jug south carolina department of health and environmental control or dhec provides free stickers to place on your sharps bottle when your
Sharps container is quarters full it can be thrown away into the normal trash dhec will mail these stickers to your home for free or you can print them from their website you
Transcribed from video
How to Give an Insulin Pen Injection By Prisma Health
