This video will teach you how to inject your insulin using a syringe.
Please watch the entire video before injecting your insulin.
Your healthcare provider may recommend that you inject insulin using a syringe to help
you control your blood sugar level.
Injecting insulin with a syringe involves choosing an injection site, preparing the
syringe and insulin, and then injecting the insulin into your body.
Your healthcare professional will tell you what type of insulin you need as well as when
and how much you need to inject.
You will need alcohol wipes, your bottle of insulin, a new syringe for each injection,
and a sharps disposal container to throw away the used syringes.
A disposable syringe has the following parts: a barrel, a plunger, a needle cap, and a needle.
Selecting the Injection Site Before injecting your insulin, select the
inection site on your body.
The areas for insulin injection include the abdomen or belly, upper arms, the thighs,
and the buttocks.
When selecting the injection site, be sure you use a different spot each time you give
yourself an injection.
Leave at least one inch away from the last injection spot, inject your insulin at least
two inches from your belly button, and choose a spot at least one inch or farther from any
scar or mole.
Preparing the Syringe and Insulin Step One: wash your hands with soap and water
and then dry them.
Step Two: If your insulin needs to be mixed, gently roll the bottle between your hands.
Do not shake the bottle because it may cause bubbles to form in your insulin.
Before injecting yourself, check the insulin in the bottle to make sure it is the type
of insulin your doctor prescribed for you, not past the expiration date, and the insulin
is free of clumps.
Step Three: remove the cap from your insulin bottle.
Use an alcohol wipe to clean the rubber stopper on the top of the bottle.
Step Four: Remove the syringe from its package.
Be sure to use a new syringe each time you inject insulin.
Step Five: remove the needle cap from the syringe.
Do not touch the needle or allow it to touch any surface, and do not use the syringe if
the needle is bent.
Some syringes have a cap over the plunger that you may need to remove as well.
Step Six: pull back the plunger to draw in an amount of air that is equal to your insulin
dose.
Step Seven: Hold your insulin bottle securely on a flat surface.
Push the needle through the rubber on the top of the bottle.
Push the plunger to inject the air into the insulin bottle.
Leave the needle in the bottle.
This helps to keep the right amount of pressure in the bottle and makes it easier to draw
insulin into the syringe.
Step Eight: With the needle still in the bottle, turn the bottle and syringe upside down.
Step Nine: Pull back the plunger to fill the syringe will just a little more than the insulin
dose you need.
If you see air bubbles, tap the barrel of the syringe with your finger to make them
rise to the top.
Slowly, push in the plunger just enough to push out the air and extra insulin.
Step Ten: Carefully check to make sure the amount of insulin in the syringe matches your
insulin dose.
Pull the needle out of the bottle and carefully lay the syringe on a flat, clean surface.
Make sure the needle does not touch anything.
Injecting the Insulin Step One: Clean your injection site with an
alcohol wipe.
Use a circular motion to clean a spot about two inches wide.
Step Two: Pinch a two-inch fold of skin in the clean injection site.
Step Three: Hold the syringe like a pencil and quickly insert the needle straight into
your skin at a 90-degree angle.
Make sure the whole needle enters your skin.
Step Four: Push the plunger all the way down to inject the insulin into the fat tissue
beneath your skin.
Slowly, count to five before removing the needle to make sure you have injected all
of the insulin.
Step Five: Pull the needle straight out to remove it.
Step Six: Throw away the syringe into your sharps disposal container.
Never throw your syringes or needles directly into the trash.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have questions about injecting your insulin or
if your blood sugar level stays above or below your target range.