Do patients with diabetes use the insulin pen properly?

AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the insulin pen application knowledge and skills of patients with diabetes. METHODS: In our descriptive study, 200 patients with diabetes were asked to present the insulin pen injection technique on a mannequin and the steps of the pen injection implementation were noted on the data collection form as correct/incorrect by researchers. RESULTS: More than 3 out of 4 (79.5%) of the participants were using the insulin pen or the cartridge after the expiry date, 70.5% were not rotating the injection site, and 63.0% were massaging the skin after injection. Injection sites complications were significantly more in those who were using the insulin pen or the cartridge after the expiry date, those who don't know the proper length of the needle and the possible body injection sites, those who don't rotate the injection sites, those who massage after injection, and those who don't use a new needle at each injection (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study put into light some failures in the knowledge and skills of patients with diabetes regarding insulin pen use. Nurses should provide patients with diabetes an effective and repetitive training concerning insulin pen use.

Informal Caregivers' Knowledge and Practice of Caring for Neutropenic Patients.

Cooperation of informal caregivers on neutropenic patient care is very important. This descriptive study includes interviews with 100 informal caregivers of inpatients who became neutropenic at least two days previously. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews on informal caregivers' knowledge and practice of caring for patients with neutropenia. The authors found that some rules, such as washing hands and attention to personal cleaning, were known and practiced; other rules, such as having a bath every other day, were less well known. At a Glance • Caregivers should be provided with regular training and standard education programs. • Informal caregivers should be observed when engaged in their routines to assess whether their practice is appropriate in neutropenic patient caring, and nurses should check whether or not their recommendations are being applied and ensure any deficiencies are addressed. • The verbal instruction provided by nurses for caregivers does not include enough information about care for neutropenic patients.