Sample
The sample was drawn from all
patients admitted to adult medical
inpatient units A, B, and C at the
study hospital during July-August
2007. Unit A had 44-beds with a predominance
of oncology and pulmonary
diagnoses. The 36-bed unit
B had a predominance of renal failure
diagnoses. Unit C contained 27
beds, with a predominance of cardiac
diagnoses.
Data collection was completed by
the following procedure. Charts of
all patients were reviewed in chronological
order by admission date starting
July 1, 2007. The patients meeting
the criteria noted below were utilized
in order of admission. This procedure
was followed until at least 10
patients were included from each
unit, with an equal number of male
and female patients. The bolus treatment
group (Group 1) resulted in 15
male and 15 female patients naturally.
In order for the basal-bolus group
(Group 2) to have the same balance,
one female chart was excluded and
the next male patient’s was utilized.
Thirty patients in each group were
included in the study. Inclusion criteria
required subjects to be over age
18; admitted to hospital units A, B
or C; and receiving subcutaneous
insulin to treat hyperglycemia. Ex -
cluded patients were under age 18;
receiving steroids; in hospice care; in
the hospital overnight only following
surgery; and receiving insulin
infusion. The populations of pa -
tients receiving steroids or under age
18 were too small to conduct meaningful
statistical analyses. Hospice
patients received comfort care and
often did not have blood glucose
testing. The low number of surgical
patients had potential influence of
other hospital initiatives that may
have impacted outcomes. Patients
receiving insulin infusions generally
were managed by an endocrinologist,
resulting in a more aggressive
degree of management not comparable
to the general medical population.