A patient who has been self-injecting insulin for 10 years now has warmth,redness,and pain at the injection site.What is the nurse's best action?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

These symptoms are indicators of injection site infection.Patients with diabetes are at a greater risk for any type of infection,and infections can become severe very quickly.The nurse must determine if the area is infected or just irritated.Other indicators of infection include purulent drainage,increased firmness to the touch,and possibly fever.In either case,the area is not used for insulin injection until the infection or irritation clears.If infection is suspected,the prescriber must be notified and the patient started on antibiotic therapy as soon as possible.

A Patient Who Has Been Self-Injecting Insulin for 10 Years