One So-Manly Moment

I'm at work one fine afternoon, trying to help one of my fellow nurses get caught up on her work because she's having a rough day, which included a new admission. The doctor leaves some new orders, as he so frequently does, one of which read: Find out from this patient's family what type of insulin he was on and how much he took before he was admitted to the hospital. There were several other orders that I took care of rather quickly, then I decided to embark on this one.

This particular fellow was with it enough I felt it was worth the risk to first ask him about his pre-hospitalization insulin usage.

Let me explain a little bit about insulin for those of you who don't know too much about the subject. Insulin, as many well know, is used to help control the blood sugar levels of diabetics, specifically, keeping their blood sugar level from shooting through the roof. There are several timing methods for insulin administration, most of which depend on the type of insulin a person is using. They can take their insulin once in the morning or in the morning and again in the evening. They can take it at bedtime (only specific insulins are made for this type of administration). They can take it several times a day before they eat a meal. Some even use a combination of these methods, especially if their blood glucose levels are hard to control. Insulin is usually administered with a small syringe and a tiny needle just under the skin in the subcutaneous tissues (or into the fatty tissue). There are also pre-filled insulin pens on the market, which are used mostly for convenience, and insulin pumps, which are for people who want to tightly control of their diabetes. Needle-less options are also available, but in my work setting, we don't use these. I've also given insulin through an IV, for people who are critically ill. Anyway, there are numerous types of insulin. Some types include Novolog, Humalog, Regular, NPH, Lantus, 70/30, 50/50. The more common types seen in healthcare settings are Novolog, Humalog, Regular, Lantus, and 70/30. I've also seen Levemir used once. For those of you who would like to learn more, you can visit WebMD, and read about the various types of insulin used to treat diabetes, in a user-friendly language.

Now, with the technical stuff out of the way, on with the story...

This new patient was lying in bed, his nurse was bandaging his foot from a recent surgery. I smiled and explained that the doctor had some questions about his insulin usage at home. I started out by asking, "How much insulin did you take at home before you went to the hospital?"
"I took 40 in the morning."
"Did you take any at night?"
"Umm... I took 45 at night."
"Ok, great. Now, what kind of insulin were you taking at home?"
He looks thoughtfully at the ceiling while briefly considering the question. His answer, while insanely funny to myself and my cohort, was so manly. "I was on 10W-30 insulin."

I had to exchange glances with his nurse, just to make sure I'd heard his answer correctly. The look on her face confirmed it. I didn't have the heart to correct his answer, or to try and clarify it, as it would add insult to his already serious diabetes-related injury and probably only end up embarrassing him. I'm sure he meant he was on 70/30 insulin. This is a question I would just have to clarify with his family.

In the end, I came out of that room with a little story to tell others who need a smile (especially those of the female variety), and it will remind me on those days when I keep having to ask myself, "Why, exactly, did you become a nurse?" that being a nurse isn't all bad...

(Note for those of you who are total girly-girls: 10W-30 is a type of motor oil.)

(Note for others: The picture of this patient is NOT an actual picture of the patient mentioned above, nor does it bear any similarities or likeness to the actual patient.)