Drawing your dose

Your vial is mixed and back in the fridge. Now you draw a dose. The goal is simple. Get the right number of units into the syringe with no air and do so without contaminating anything.

Start by wiping the rubber top of the vial with an alcohol swab and letting it dry. Pull air into the syringe equal to the units you plan to draw, then push that air into the vial, the same trick you used in the last lesson. It keeps the pressure balanced so the liquid comes out easily. Turn the vial upside down, keep the needle tip in the liquid, and pull the plunger to your target mark.

You may see air bubbles and you'll want to clear them before reading your dose. Draw a little past your mark on purpose. Then, with the needle still in the vial, tap the side of the syringe so the bubbles rise to the top. Push the plunger gently until they slip back in and the liquid sits exactly on your mark.

Read the syringe at eye level. The barrels are small and at an angle a couple of units are easy to misread. When the liquid lines up on your number with no bubbles, you are done.