While preparing a pre-breakfast insulin dose, which part of the healthcare provider's prescription should the nurse question?

In this scenario, the choice that should be questioned is the combination of insulin glargine with insulin lispro. Insulin glargine is a long-acting insulin, while insulin lispro is a rapid-acting insulin. Typically, long-acting insulins like glargine are used to provide a steady level of insulin throughout the day and night, serving as a basal insulin. In contrast, rapid-acting insulins such as lispro are used to manage insulin spikes that result from meals.

The prescription of combining these two types of insulin can lead to confusion regarding the timing and effectiveness of each insulin type. Insulin glargine is often administered once a day at the same time, whereas insulin lispro is usually given around mealtime. Therefore, the recommendation for the nurse to question this prescription stems from the fact that mixing a long-acting insulin with a rapid-acting one for the same injection contradicts typical insulin management protocols and could potentially lead to dosage errors or mismanagement of the patient’s blood glucose levels.

Taking these factors into account helps to ensure that insulin therapy is safe and effective for individuals with diabetes, underscoring the importance of carefully reviewing medication orders for potential conflicts in insulin types and their intended purposes