Reducing Sliding Scale Insulin Use and Fingerstick Glucose Monitoring in a Long-Term Care Facility

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) affects many residents in nursing facilities (NF), and sliding scale insulin (SSI) is commonly prescribed even though it is not recommended by the American Diabetes Association, the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, and Choosing Wisely. SSI requires frequent fingerstick (FS) glucose monitoring, which can be burdensome and can lead to potential harm. During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the use of SSI and frequent FS can lead to increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 infection and increased costs of personal protective equipment.