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The Question
05/04/09 10:35 AM

"In south carolina there seems to be no way to hire a nurse or CNA through an agency that is allowed to administer insulin. "
Asked By: daughterdeb  
Category: Insulin

Background Info Hide
Need help for 84yr type1. Been diabetic since age of 12. I've just come back to be caregiver, but I know I should not try to manage insulin for mom. Dad is 82, thinks he can, but cannot. They cannot afford two people in assisted living, so must hire someone private pay in the home. But in SC even qualified nurses are not allowed to administer insulin. Don't feel good about hiring a CNA not associated with a company. Ideas? DaughterDeb

Expert Answers (1)

06/30/09 08:43 PM

Dear daughterdeb

I would advise you to call the State Board of Nursing to determine what the laws are in the state of South Carolina. A nurse should be allowed to administer insulin if there is a physicians order, however because they are in an assisted living facility, there may be regulations against allowing a nurse to come in and administer insulin. I know this is not covered by Medicare so it may be if you tell them you are willing to pay for each visit they will be allowed to give the injection, although this will be very expensive. CNA’s are not allowed to administer insulin but may observe someone telse adminsiter it o ensure it is done correctly. If the CNA observes your father administer the insulin and ensures that it is done correctly they are not administering it. You may want to talk to the home care agencies and the assisted living facility and determine how others in the facility have managed this issue. If you are concerned about your father’s ability to draw up the insulin correctly you may ask your mother’s physician to order an insulin pen, which allows the dose to be dialed in, for individuals with visual impairments and problems with manual dexterity this is an excellent option. Does the assisted living facility offer the option of administering the insulin for an additional charge? Some institutions will charge extra if additional services are needed. It may be that at this point assisted living is no longer appropriate. I hope one of these options will work for you, it is difficult being a caretaker and I applaud your efforts.

Answered By: Kathleen Gold
Accreditations: RN, MSN, CDE
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Community Answers (2)

05/10/09 02:24 PM

No, nor my father (though he thinks he can...) The good news is that the nurses at the nursing home gave me three days of training, and I remembered much of this from my childhood/early adulthood when I was basically my mother's caregiver. I'm on my third day now at home, and we are getting better each day, though at first it was tricky as the home equipment was different. But it was amazing how helpful the customer service desk was for the sugar monitoring equipment and we resolved two of my questions on the spot. Today I looked back on the records of the private pay nurses (which we can no longer afford) and I am doing just as well, and think I can do better, as my mother is less stressed now. Many thanks.
Answered By: daughterdeb
FLAG
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05/06/09 09:39 PM

Sad to hear you can not get help there. I know a CNA isnt a nurse but your mom needs the insulin. Is she not able to inject herself any longer.
Answered By: furball64801
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