A patient safety alert has been issued to warn NHS providers of the risk of severe harm and death if an insulin needle and syringe is used to administer insulin withdrawn directly from a pen device or replacement cartridge.
Patient safety concerns have been identified where healthcare professionals use an insulin syringe and needle to withdraw medication directly from a patient’s insulin pen device. This practice should not happen as the strength of insulin in pen devices varies, creating a risk of overdose if the strength is not taken into consideration when determining the volume required. The alert asks providers to ensure staff have access to appropriate equipment and training for administering insulin using a pen device. Visit: https:// improvement.nhs.uk/uploads/documents/ Patient_Safety_Alert_-_Withdrawing_insulin _from_pen_devices.pdf
