Insulin safety alert

The National Patient Safety Agency (www.nrls. npsa.nhs.uk) has issued an alert on the safe administration of insulin.

    It says errors in insulin administration – mainly using syringes not intended for insulin that are graduated in mls rather than units, and misreading the abbreviations U and IU – may be fatal.
    Insulin should always be administered using an insulin syringe (including preparation of infusions) and there should be an adequate stock of syringes and subcutaneous needles; doses should be expressed as ‘units’; staff should undergo training; and policies and procedures for safe preparation and administration of insulin in clinical areas should be reviewed.