Question

The client has an order for administration of 10 units of regular insulin to be given at 7:00 a.m. The nurse should offer a snack at: A. 3:00 p.m. B. 1:00 p.m. C. 11:00 a.m. D. 9:00 a.m.

Short answer

Answer: D. 9:00 a.m.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the action of Regular Insulin

Regular insulin is a short-acting form of insulin, which helps in lowering the blood sugar levels to control the patient's diabetes. The action of regular insulin starts within 30 minutes of administration, and it peaks within 2 to 5 hours after being administered. It is essential to remember the peak time as it can lead to hypoglycemia if a patient doesn't consume food during this period.

Calculate the time when the insulin peaks

From the information given, the insulin was administered at 7:00 a.m. Since regular insulin peaks within 2 to 5 hours of administration, we need to look at the time frame between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

Determine the appropriate time for a snack

To prevent hypoglycemia, the nurse should offer a snack around the peak time of insulin action. In this case, that would be between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Now, let's look at the options provided: A. 3:00 p.m. B. 1:00 p.m. C. 11:00 a.m. D. 9:00 a.m. Looking at these options, we can quickly eliminate options A and B as they fall outside the peak insulin action timeframe. Therefore, the correct answer is either 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m.

Choose the best option

As the peak can occur anytime between 2 to 5 hours after the administration of insulin, it is better to be on the safe side and go with the earlier time to avoid any potential hypoglycemic episodes. So, the nurse should offer a snack at: D. 9:00 a.m.