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?
a. Hold the next dose of insulin and notify the prescriber as soon as possible.
b. Teach the patient to apply ice to the area and use a different site for injection.
c. Ask how long the problem has been present and assess the patient for other symptoms of infection.
d. Document the response and reassure the patient that this is a common response that requires no action.
C
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.
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