Insulin Types for NCLEX: Onset, Peak & Duration with Nursing Mnemonics
Master all insulin types for the NCLEX exam. Quick-reference guide with onset, peak, duration, and easy nursing mnemonics for each type.
Insulin Types Every Nursing Student Must Know
Understanding insulin types, their onset, peak, and duration is critical for the NCLEX. Diabetes management questions appear frequently and require precise pharmacological knowledge.
Rapid-Acting Insulin
Rapid-acting insulins include lispro (Humalog), aspart (NovoLog), and glulisine (Apidra). Onset is 10-15 minutes, peak is 1-2 hours, and duration is 3-5 hours. These are given immediately before or after meals. Remember the mnemonic: Rapid insulin acts Rapidly for meals. These are the only insulins that can be given IV in addition to regular insulin.
Short-Acting Insulin (Regular)
Regular insulin (Humulin R, Novolin R) has an onset of 30-60 minutes, peak of 2-4 hours, and duration of 6-8 hours. It should be given 30 minutes before meals. Regular insulin is the only insulin that can be given IV and is used in DKA management. It appears clear in the vial.
Intermediate-Acting Insulin (NPH)
NPH insulin (Humulin N, Novolin N) has an onset of 1-2 hours, peak of 4-12 hours, and duration of 18-24 hours. It appears cloudy in the vial. When mixing NPH with regular insulin, always draw up clear (regular) before cloudy (NPH). Remember: Clear before Cloudy.
Long-Acting Insulin
Glargine (Lantus) and detemir (Levemir) are long-acting insulins. Glargine has an onset of 1-2 hours, no peak (providing a steady basal level), and duration of 24 hours. It should never be mixed with other insulins. Detemir has a slight peak at 6-8 hours. These provide baseline insulin coverage.
Nursing Considerations
Always check blood glucose before administration. Rotate injection sites and monitor for hypoglycemia symptoms especially at peak times. Teach patients to recognize signs of hypoglycemia: shakiness, sweating, confusion, tachycardia. Treat with 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate (Rule of 15). Review more with our insulin types cheat sheet and test yourself with pharmacology flashcards.