[MCOH-EH] Safety devices for shorter insulin needles?

Swift, Melanie melanie.swift at Vanderbilt.Edu
Wed May 4 18:29:10 PDT 2016


Need your collective wisdom, MCOH peeps!

Our pediatric diabetes team is looking for an insulin syringe with a 6mm needle. They believe that  pediatric Type I DM pts are at risk for getting their insulin IM with the standard 1/2 inch needle, and they send patients home with a 6mm needle (which is a nonsafety needle for home use.)

Problem: the only safety device we've found in this length is a BD safety glide product that is basically a little hard cap on a sliding stick. It does not cover the entire needle, just bobbles out there like a tiny hard hat on the tip of the needle. I tried to activate and slid the thing out but it didn't catch - it slid back onto the needle, bending it sideways, then when I did get it to lock I had a completely exposed tip sticking out sideways. 

Anyone use this product and have experience with how it performs in terms of injury?
Anyone know of another short safety-engineered insulin needle?
Has anyone dealt with this pediatric issue of making sure the SQ injection isn't too deep?

Thanks!!
Melanie Swift, MD
Medical Director, Vanderbilt Occupational Health Clinic
occupationalhealth.vanderbilt.edu

Excuse any typos please - Sent from my iPad.


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