Insulin

Insulin is a hormone given to lower blood glucose in diabetes mellitus by moving glucose into cells. Only regular and rapid-acting insulin may be given IV; all others are subcutaneous, and knowing each insulin’s onset and peak matters because the peak is when hypoglycemia is most likely. When mixing two insulins in one syringe, draw up the clear (regular) before the cloudy (NPH) — “clear before cloudy” — to avoid contaminating the regular vial, and always verify the dose with a second nurse per facility policy.