| Gather injection supplies, including insulin bottle(s), syringe, alcohol swab, and diabetes log book. If you use a bottle and syringe, be sure you are using the correct syringe for your type of insulin (if you use U-500 insulin, use the specially marked syringe). Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand gel. |
| Clean the rubber top of the insulin bottle(s) with alcohol swab. New bottles of insulin may have a hard plastic cap that must be snapped off to reveal the rubber top. |
| Remove the syringe cap. Pull on the plunger to draw air into the syringe, equal to the amount of insulin to be given. For example, if 10 units of insulin will be given, draw back 10 units of air. |
| Insert the needle into the insulin bottle and depress the plunger, injecting the air into the bottle. If clear and cloudy insulin are used, inject air into the cloudy insulin first, followed by the clear insulin. Leave the needle inside the clear insulin bottle. |
| Hold the bottle with one hand and turn it upside down, keeping the needle inside the bottle. Slowly pull the plunger back to draw the correct insulin dose into the syringe. |
| Remove bubbles from the syringe, if needed. Bubbles are not harmful if injected subcutaneously, but they can decrease the amount of insulin in the syringe and potentially affect blood glucose levels. |
| Draw up insulin slowly and steadily. Bubbles form in the syringe if it is drawn up too quickly. If bubbles are seen, push the insulin back into the bottle and slowly re-draw. Do this as many times as needed until the bubbles are gone. |
| Draw two more units of insulin into the syringe than needed. If bubbles are seen, flick the syringe with the middle finger and thumb to make the bubbles rise. Once the bubbles are at the top, push the extra two units of insulin back into the bottle. Don't forget to push the extra insulin back into the vial - even if there are no air bubbles in the syringe. |
| If clear and cloudy insulin are used, it is only possible to remove bubbles from the clear insulin, which is drawn up first. Draw up cloudy insulin slowly and carefully to avoid forming bubbles. |
| Remove the needle from the insulin bottle. |
| If cloudy insulin is also needed, it must first be mixed. Gently turn the bottle up and down 20 times to mix it. Inject the needle into the cloudy insulin bottle. Carefully turn the bottle upside down (with the needle in place) and withdraw the dose needed. |
| Withdraw the needle from the insulin bottle and replace the needle cap. |
