Treatment practices of diabetic ketoacidosis at a large teaching hospital.

A retrospective chart review of 55 medical records of adults treated for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) identified areas of treatment that delayed the improvement of DKA. There was a positive correlation between time to initiation of insulin infusion and resolution of anion gap. Sixty-six percent of cases did not have the recommended overlap between intravenous and subcutaneous insulin. Opportunity exists to educate nurses as experts to partner with their physician colleagues to manage DKA.