As I See It Ed Bryant

Blind diabetics can draw insulin without difficulty

became blind from diabetic retinopa- There will be no air bubbles in the thy about 17 years ago. When I first syringe. lost sight, I did not use insulin gauges “Tapping the syringe,” a common tech- to help draw my insulin, because I nique used by the sighted to remove air

had never heard of such devices! Fourteen bubbles, becomes unnecessary. I have years ago, I developed my own insulin shown this technique to numerous nurses gauge, and I used it for approximately 3 over the years, and they have been years, without difficulty. I do not advocate delighted to see that air bubbles are not the use of nonstandard or homemade present and the dosage is accurate. insulin-measuring devices, but because of my experiences and many years of blind- Determining how long a vial of insulin

ness, I am often called on to evaluate will last

insulin measuring devices. I have learned Each vial of insulin contains 10 ml, many things about drawing insulin cor- which is 1000 units. As a safeguard, I rectly and about avoiding difficulties with assume the bottle contains only 940 units. accuracy, air bubbles, and other common I keep the vial and the needle vertical problems. I share these with blind diabet- while drawing up so that, when there are

ics and wish to share them with Insight at least 60 units of insulin in the vial, the readers so that you may better care for needle remains submerged while filling. I

your patients and others in your daily use 20 units of regular insulin daily. There-

practice. fore, assuming the amount of 940 total units as a safeguard, I have 47 days’ use in

Preventing air bubbles in an insulin a full vial. There are numerous other ways

syringe of determining how long a vial will last,

I have used the following technique to but over many years this one has served me well.

prevent air bubbles in an insulin syringe successfully for years. I have tested it 100 Editor’s note: Ed Bryant is the director and times, as has Janet Lee, first vice president editor of Voice of the Diabetic, a free quarterly of the Diabetes Action Network. In all our magazine published by the Diabetes Action tests, air was completely absent in the Network of the National Federation of the

syringe. Blind. It is an outreach publication emphasiz- ing good diabetes control, proper diet, inde-

*First draw four or five units of regular pendence, and positive outlook. With a circula- insulin into the syringe. tion of 214,000, the Voice is distributed to hos-

*Then inject all of it back into the vial. pitals, physicians’ offices, libraries, rehabilita-

Do this three times. tion centers, thousands of diabetics both blind

aThe fourth time, draw the full amount and sighted, and 15,000 health professionals.

of insulin needed. To be placed on the mailing list or to obtain more information contact Voice of the Diabet-

*When ready, draw the exact amount of ic, 811 Cherry St., Suite 309, Columbia, MO insulin needed from the NPH vial. 65201; telephone 573-875-8911. 72/l/9032 1

Ed Bryant is director of the Diabetes Action Net- work of the National Federation of the Blind, Columbia, MO.

Reprint requests: Ed Bryant, Director, Dia- betes Action Network, National Federation of the Blind, 8 7 7 Cherry St., Suite 309, Colum- bia, MO 6520 7.

Insight 1998;23:97.

Copyright 0 7 998 by the American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses.

IO60-135X/98 $5.00 + 0

INSIGHT The Journal of the American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses, Inc. Volume XXIII, No. 3, September 1998 91