QMA Insulin Injection Sites and Site Rotation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Exercise affects insulin absorption when insulin is injected into the thigh. What effect does exercise of the legs have?
- It slows absorption from the thigh
- It speeds up absorption from the thigh (Correct answer)
- It has no effect on absorption
- It causes insulin to degrade faster
Correct answer: It speeds up absorption from the thigh
Exercise increases blood flow to active muscles, which accelerates insulin absorption from the thigh injection site.
Question 2: What is lipodystrophy in the context of insulin injection?
- An infection at the injection site
- An abnormal change in fatty tissue at injection sites (Correct answer)
- A type of allergic reaction to insulin
- Bruising caused by incorrect injection technique
Correct answer: An abnormal change in fatty tissue at injection sites
Lipodystrophy refers to abnormal distribution or changes in subcutaneous fat at injection sites, including lipoatrophy (loss) and lipohypertrophy (buildup).
Question 3: A QMA is about to inject insulin into a patient's upper arm. What angle is typically recommended for a standard insulin pen needle?
- 30 degrees
- 45 degrees
- 90 degrees (Correct answer)
- 60 degrees
Correct answer: 90 degrees
Modern short pen needles (4–6 mm) are generally inserted at a 90-degree angle to ensure delivery into subcutaneous tissue.
Question 4: Which condition would require the QMA to avoid a specific injection site?
- Mild redness from a healed injection
- Scar tissue, bruising, or active infection at the site (Correct answer)
- Dry skin around the site
- A mole more than 2 inches from the planned injection
Correct answer: Scar tissue, bruising, or active infection at the site
Sites with scar tissue, bruising, or infection must be avoided because they impair absorption and increase the risk of complications.
Question 5: When documenting insulin site rotation, what information should the QMA record?
- Only the dose administered
- The anatomical site used and any site abnormalities observed (Correct answer)
- The brand name of the insulin only
- The patient's preference for the next injection
Correct answer: The anatomical site used and any site abnormalities observed
Recording the specific anatomical site used and any observed abnormalities ensures proper rotation tracking and clinical continuity.
Question 6: What is lipoatrophy?
- Thickening of tissue from repeated injections
- Loss of subcutaneous fat at injection sites (Correct answer)
- An increase in skin pigmentation at injection sites
- Swelling caused by incorrect needle depth
Correct answer: Loss of subcutaneous fat at injection sites
Lipoatrophy is the loss or thinning of subcutaneous fat at insulin injection sites, often linked to older insulin formulations or repeated injections.
Question 7: Which factor can cause insulin to be accidentally injected into muscle rather than subcutaneous tissue?
- Using a very short needle
- Using a needle that is too long for the patient's body composition (Correct answer)
- Injecting too slowly
- Storing insulin at room temperature
Correct answer: Using a needle that is too long for the patient's body composition
A needle that is too long relative to the patient's subcutaneous fat depth can penetrate into muscle, causing faster and less predictable absorption.
QMA Insulin Injection Sites and Site Rotation 2
Exercise affects insulin absorption when insulin is injected into the thigh.
What effect does exercise of the legs have?