Self-administration of insulin

This page aims to answer your questions about giving your own insulin while in hospital (self-administration). It explains the benefits, risks, and alternatives, as well as what you can expect when you come to hospital.

If you have any further questions, please speak to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist caring for you.

Self-administration of your insulin

If you are staying in hospital and have diabetes treated with insulin, we will ask if you wish to continue to make decisions about your diabetes. This will happen as long as you are feel well enough to do this.

Your nurse will work with you to make sure that it is safe and in your best interest to administer your own insulin. If you are very unwell or other changes have been made to your treatments that can affect your glucose, it may not be possible. In this case the nurse will discuss with you if the safest option is for the nurses to support you with your insulin.

If you and your nurse both agree that it is safe for you to self-administer insulin, you will be asked to provide verbal consent. You should read this leaflet and ask any questions that you have first.

What are the benefits of injecting insulin myself?

We recognise that people with diabetes are experts in their condition and its treatment. You know better than anybody how your glucose level responds to different situations and insulin doses.

Supporting patients with diabetes to inject their own insulin in hospital has been shown to improve the timing of doses and achieve better glucose levels.

What are the risks?

Giving the wrong dose of insulin can be dangerous. This is why we need to make sure you are well enough to give yourself doses.

Sometimes being unwell can affect how you make decisions, the nurse will assess this before supporting you to self-administer.

Other medicines like steroids, can affect your blood glucose levels. If we need to give you these, it may not be safe for you to self-administer insulin.

Are there any alternatives?

You do not have to self-administer your insulin. If you prefer, the nurse can continue to give you your doses. Choosing not to self-administer your insulin will not affect your treatment in any way.

What will I need to do?

If you have any questions after reading this leaflet, ask your nurse. When your questions have been answered, you will be asked to provide verbal consent.

Make sure you have enough supplies of your insulin and needles for your hospital stay.

To keep other patients on the ward safe, insulin must be stored out of sight - either in your locker or your bag.

After a dose, tell the nurse the time you have given it, and the actual dose injected. You can write this in the chart on page 7 to help us. The nurse will write this in your medicines chart.

What happens if I change my mind?

It is your decision. You can change your mind at any time, even in you have previously given consent. Let staff know immediately if you change your mind. Your wishes will always be respected.

Can I monitor my own blood glucose? 

We will monitor your blood glucose using the ward meters. These are very precise and are not affected by other medicines you could be given during your stay.

You may wish to self-monitor as well as the ward tests. Please tell the nurse about any readings you take.

Alert the nurse if your reading is 

• Lower than 4mmol/L 
• Higher than 14 mmol/L (10mmol/L if you are pregnant). 

They will confirm the result with the ward meter and treat you if needed.

If you are using a continuous glucose sensor please be aware that staff are asked to continue to monitor using the ward meter and base your treatment on these results. Continuous sensor results may not be as accurate when you are acutely unwell, so this is an extra step to keep you safe.

We cannot provide test strips or continuous glucose monitoring sensors for patients’ own use. You will need to provide your own supply.

Agreement

If you wish to take responsibility for managing your insulin during your admission you are asked to agree to these points:

• I will keep my medication out of sight.
• I will allow my blood glucose to be checked regularly and the results be recorded.
• I will record the dose of insulin I take and make the information available to staff.
• If I am unable, for any reason, to make decisions about my diabetes management, medical or nursing staff should make decisions on my behalf until I am able to resume self-management.

You will be asked to give verbal consent to confirm this which will be documented in your records.

If you would like to see a member of the Diabetes Specialist Team during your admission, please ask one of the nurses.

Insulin doses given table

© North Bristol NHS Trust. This edition published February 2026. Review due February 2027. NBT003104.