A hospitalized diabetic patient received 38 U of NPH insulin at 7:00 AM. At 1:00 PM,the patient has been away from the nursing unit for 2 hours,missing the lunch delivery while awaiting a chest x-ray. To prevent hypoglycemia,the best action by the nurse is to

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Consistency for mealtimes assists with regulation of blood glucose,so the best option is for the patient to have lunch at the usual time. Waiting to eat until after the procedure is likely to cause hypoglycemia. Administration of an IV solution is unnecessarily invasive for the patient. A glass of milk or juice will keep the patient from becoming hypoglycemic but will cause a rapid rise in blood glucose because of the rapid absorption of the simple carbohydrate in these items.

A Hospitalized Diabetic Patient Received 38 U of NPH Insulin