Abstract
Variable rate intravenous insulin infusions (VRIII) are used to maintain stable blood glucose in hospitalised patients with diabetes who are unable to eat or have a severe illness where good glycaemic control is paramount. With VRIII it is important to prescribe an adequate substrate to avoid hypoglycaemia and maintain electrolyte balance. Traditionally the substrate would have been varied to achieve this; current guidelines advise varying the infusion rate rather than the type of substrate. The local hospital Trust updated their VRIII prescription chart to reflect the Joint British Diabetes Societies' suggestions for inpatient care in October 2014. A local audit in January 2015 highlighted that 48% of patients on VRIII were prescribed the correct fluid as per the guideline. A questionnaire to assess prescriber knowledge regarding VRIII showed 40.4% of prescribers selected appropriate fluid for a patient with normal renal function and 11.5% of prescribers selected appropriate fluid for a patient with renal failure. An educational podcast was devised to explain the rationale behind appropriate fluid prescription with VRIII; this was shown to prescribers. Following the podcast, 75.8% of prescribers selected appropriate fluids for normal renal function and 54.5% for renal failure. Questionnaires were completed to assess prescriber knowledge prepodcast and postpodcast. Following the podcast, there was a significant increase in questionnaire scores, indicating improved prescriber knowledge surrounding VRIII. A reaudit of prescriptions for VRIII showed improvement in practice, where 63% of patients on VRIII were prescribed correct fluids. The use of a simple audiovisual podcast on VRIII led to a significant improvement in prescriber knowledge. Podcasts are an ideal medium to raise awareness around safety issues, including safe prescription of insulin. Further work will include the follow-up of participants to evaluate sustained knowledge and improvements of prescriptions in practice, with the overall aim of improving patient safety.