Step 1. Roll the insulin bottles (vials) gently
between your hands. Roll the cloudy insulin
bottle until all the white powder has dissolved.
Rolling the bottle warms the insulin if you have been keeping the
bottle in the refrigerator.
Important: Do not shake an insulin bottle.
Cleaning the lids of the bottles
Step 2. Wipe the rubber lid of both insulin bottles
with an alcohol wipe or a cotton ball dipped in alcohol. Let the alcohol dry.
Note: If you are using a
bottle for the first time, remove the protective cover from the rubber
lid before cleaning.
Drawing air into the syringe for the cloudy insulin dose
Step 3. Remove the plastic cap that covers the needle
on your insulin syringe.
Important: Do not touch the needle.
Step 4. Pull the plunger back on your insulin
syringe and draw air into the syringe equal to the number of units of
cloudy insulin to be given.
Forcing air into the cloudy insulin bottle
Step 5. Push the needle of the syringe into the
rubber lid of the cloudy insulin bottle.
Step 6. Push the
plunger of the syringe to force the air into the bottle.
This equalizes the
pressure in the bottle when you later remove the dose of insulin.
Step 7. Remove the
needle from the bottle.
Drawing air into the syringe for the clear insulin dose
Step 8. Pull the plunger of the syringe back and
draw air into the syringe equal to the number of units of clear
insulin to be given.
Forcing air into the clear insulin bottle
Step 9. Push the needle of the syringe into the
rubber lid of the clear insulin bottle.
Step 10. Push the plunger
to force the air into the bottle. Leave the needle in place.
Note: You will draw the clear insulin into the syringe first.
Drawing clear insulin into the syringe
Step 11. Turn the bottle and syringe upside down. Position the tip of the needle so that it is below the
surface of insulin in the bottle.
Step 12. Pull back the plunger to fill the syringe
with slightly more than the correct number of units of clear
insulin to be given.
Step 13. Tap the barrel of the syringe so that
trapped air bubbles move into the needle area. Push the air bubbles back into
the bottle.
Important: Make sure that you have the correct number of units of insulin in
your syringe.
Step 14. Remove the needle from the clear insulin
bottle.
Inserting the needle into the cloudy insulin bottle
Step 15. Insert the needle into the rubber lid of
the cloudy insulin bottle.
Important: Do not push the plunger
because this would force clear insulin into your cloudy insulin bottle. If
clear insulin is mixed in the bottle of cloudy, it will alter the action of
your other doses from that bottle.
Drawing cloudy insulin into the syringe
Step 16. Turn the bottle and syringe upside down. Position the tip of the needle so that it is below
the surface of insulin in the bottle.
Step 17. Slowly pull back the plunger of the
syringe to fill the syringe with the correct number of units of cloudy insulin to be given. This will prevent air bubbles
entering the syringe.
Step 18. Remove the needle from the bottle.
You should now have the total number of
units for the clear and cloudy
insulin in your syringe. For example, if you need 10 units of clear and 15 units of
cloudy, you should have 25 units in your syringe.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor.
Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this
information.
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