A nurse is reviewing several insulin orders. For each cue, drag it to the insulin product that best matches the clinical situation.

Quick answer
The correct matches are based on the pharmacological profiles and clinical administration requirements of each insulin product.

Why this is correct
Each cue describes a clinical situation that aligns with the characteristics of a specific insulin product. For example, a clear basal insulin given once daily without mixing matches glargine, while a cloudy insulin requiring resuspension matches NPH.

Clinical picture
Insulin products differ in onset, peak, duration, appearance, and compatibility. Rapid-acting insulins like lispro are used for prandial coverage. Short-acting regular insulin can be given intravenously. Intermediate-acting NPH is a cloudy suspension. Long-acting glargine is clear and cannot be mixed with other insulins.

Memory hook
Remember the mnemonic: 'Clear before cloudy' for drawing up insulins, and 'Glargine is clear and alone' for administration. NPH is the only cloudy insulin among the common products.

NCLEX decision rule
Match insulin products to their clinical use: rapid-acting for meals, short-acting for IV use, intermediate-acting for twice-daily basal coverage with mixing, and long-acting for once-daily basal without mixing.

Why the alternatives are wrong
Incorrect matches would result from confusing onset times (e.g., using lispro for basal coverage), mixing incompatible insulins (e.g., glargine with regular), or failing to recognize that NPH requires resuspension.