If you have both cloudy and clear medications, which one should you draw up first?

When administering insulin, if both cloudy and clear medications are involved, the clear medication should be drawn up first. This is standard practice to prevent the risk of contaminating the clear solution with the cloudy one.

When clear medication, often rapid-acting insulin, is drawn first, it ensures that any potential residue from the cloudy medication, usually longer-acting insulin, does not enter the clear vial. This practice helps to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the clear medication, ensuring proper dosing and therapeutic outcomes.

Drawing the cloudy medication first could lead to the clear medication being exposed to particles or other substances from the cloudy solution, which could compromise its efficacy and safety. Therefore, drawing the clear medication first is essential for safe and accurate medication administration in clinical practice.