The inpatient diabetes management team wishes to collaborate with all our patients with diabetes. As your partners during your hospital stay, we hope the information in this page is useful to understand diabetes management in the hospital. 

Blood Glucose monitoring during your hospital stay. At BJH, our Electronic Health Record system communicates with our glucose monitoring devices allowing the glucose values to go into a patient’s chart. This reduces the chance of a typographic error. Patients are monitored at least four times in a 24-hour period. 

If a patient uses a continuous glucose monitoring device at home, they could continue to wear it, however monitoring with the hospital approved monitoring device still needs to take place. 

What to bring to the hospital 

The hospital is able to provide with all the medication needed for diabetes management. For patients that use an insulin pump, we require them to have supplies available (extra insertion sets and tubing). In some situations, the exact medication might not be part of our formulary and an alternative will be chosen. 

Medication administration including insulin and insulin pumps 

A registered nurse can only administer insulin, the use of home insulin products is not allowed unless it has been previously discussed with the primary physician. 

Patients on insulin pumps can self-manage their diabetes if they are well enough to do so. A policy is in place to assist with the process. 

Timing of insulin with meal tray delivery 

Insulin needs to be administered as close as possible to a meal. Patients should wait to get their insulin dose before eating their tray. Call lights are available for assistance.