OBJECTIVES Insulin administration in the acute care setting is an integral component of inpatient diabetes management. The current method of administration in acute care settings is by vial and syringe. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of insulin pen implementation in the acute care setting on patient and healthcare worker safety, and health resource utilization (HRU).  METHODS A review of published literature was conducted to identify how insulin pen devices in the acute care setting may impact inpatient diabetes management. Additionally, nurse researchers from the McGill University Health Centre conducted a pilot study in a 52-bed unit to quantify this impact in a local context. Together, the results of the literature search and the pilot served as the inputs to an economic model, developed in Excel v14. Costs for the volume of insulin dispensed, injection supplies, needlestick injury management, and nursing labour were assessed. RESULTS Previous published studies have revealed that insulin pen devices have the potential to improve inpatient management through better glycemic control, increased adherence and improved self-management education. The combined results from the literature and pilot indicate that moving from vial and non-safety syringe to a passive safety pen in acute care results in total estimated annual cost savings of $43,339.66, and 191.42 hours of nursing time saved (site with 52 beds dedicated to patients with diabetes). Cost savings from the adoption of a passive safety insulin pen were predicted based on reductions in insulin volume and needlestick injuries. For an institution of similar size using safety syringes, the move to a passive safety pen device would result in total estimated cost savings of $17,865.40 annually. CONCLUSIONS The implementation of insulin pen devices in acute care results in cost savings, as well as time savings for nurses that may be re-directed to increased time at the patient bedside.