A nurse on an inpatient endocrine unit has received report on a group of four patients.Which patient should the nurse see first?
A) Blood glucose of 78 mg/dL, 12-year-old child
B) Had Humalog injection and is not eating
C) Needs teaching on giving insulin injections
D) NPH insulin given, waiting an hour to eat

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Humalog is a rapid-acting insulin,and a meal must be eaten within about 15 minutes of the injection,so the nurse needs to assess this patient first.The 12-year-old's blood sugar is normal,and if it gets lower the child is old enough to recognize hypoglycemia and call the nurse.NPH has an onset of action of 2-4 hours,so waiting an hour to eat will not cause a problem.The child who needs teaching will need an extended amount of time,so the nurse ensures all the other patients are stable prior to beginning the teaching session.

A Nurse on an Inpatient Endocrine Unit Has Received Report