 A recent report from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices points out a potential problem in using the OptiClik injection pen, which administers Lantus or Apidra insulin. ISMP says that practitioners or patients could administer the wrong dose if they are left-handed.
In operating the device, the user dials the insulin dose by turning a knob at the end of the pen, and the selected dose appears in a small window on the pen. ISMP notes that users tend naturally to grasp the pen with the non-dominant hand and turn the knob with the dominant hand.
For right-handed people, this will orient the pen in the proper direction-that is, with the knob to the right and the needle to the left. But if a “lefty” grabs the pen with the right hand and turns the knob with the left, this will turn the pen around, and the window showing the dose will be upside down.
| So, left-handed patients and practitioners using the OptiClik device should be careful that they have the pen properly oriented when they dial the dose-needle pointing left, knob on the right. This can be confirmed by making sure that the “OptiClik” printing on the pen is right side up. |
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