The nurse is preparing to administer regular and NPH insulin to the client. He knows to do which of the following steps?

  1. insert air first into the regular insulin
  2. insert air first into the NPH insulin
  3. draw up regular insulin first
  4. draw up NPH insulin first
Numbers 2 and 3 are correct answers.
Rationale: Air is inserted first into the cloudy insulin (NPH) followed by insertion of air into the regular insulin. Regular (clear) insulin is drawn up first followed by cloudy insulin (NPH).