Safe Use of Insulin

Introduction

Insulin is a high-risk medication, and errors in its prescription and administration can lead to serious patient harm, including hypoglycaemia, hyperglycaemia, and in severe cases, death. Despite being one of the most commonly used medications in healthcare settings, insulin-related errors remain a persistent patient safety concern. Ensuring that healthcare staff have accurate, up-to-date knowledge on safe insulin use is critical to reducing avoidable harm.

Healthcare professionals across multiple disciplines — from prescribers to nurses administering insulin — must understand common error types, how to avoid them, and how to respond effectively to adverse events. Consistent application of safe prescribing and administration practices can significantly improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden of insulin-related incidents.

The Safe Use of Insulin programme provides healthcare staff with essential knowledge on the correct prescription and administration of insulin, covering the most frequent errors, potential side effects, and evidence-based strategies to prevent harm.

Developed by: This course was developed by Health Education South West and Health Education North West, in partnership with NHS England eLearning for Healthcare.

Who is This Safe Use of Insulin Course for?

• Prescribers including doctors, pharmacists, and nurse prescribers who want to strengthen their understanding of safe insulin prescribing practices.
• Registered nurses and nursing assistants who are looking to improve their knowledge of insulin administration and error prevention.
• Junior doctors and foundation trainees who seek a structured introduction to insulin safety in clinical practice.
• Pharmacy staff who want to enhance their ability to identify and prevent insulin-related prescribing errors.
• Healthcare professionals working in diabetes care, acute wards, or community settings who are looking to refresh their insulin safety knowledge.
• Clinical educators and trainers who want a reliable resource to support local insulin safety training programmes.

Features

• Based on guidance from the UK’s National Patient Safety Agency alert on common insulin errors.
• Covers the most frequent errors in insulin prescription and administration, with practical advice on prevention.
• Addresses potential side effects of insulin use and effective management strategies.
• Suitable for healthcare professionals across all settings where insulin is prescribed or administered.
• Delivered as a focused single session that can be revisited as needed for ongoing reference and learning.

For institutional purchase or bulk licences of our online medical courses, please contact us.