How to Teach Someone to Take an Accu-Chek

Accu-Chek is a blood glucose meter used by patients with diabetes. Accu-Chek claims to deliver results five seconds after the test strip is filled. It also promises better results on the initial attempt unlike many other monitors that fail to present a reading on the first try, leading to wasted lancets and painful resticking. The convenience of Accu-Chek makes educating diabetes patients on its use much easier for health care professionals.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton swab
• Rubbing alcohol
• Sterile gauze

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Instructions

• 1

  Teach the aseptic technique by informing the patient to wash her hands and to utilize unused sterile lancing devices for each blood glucose level check.

• 2

  Inform the patient that blood is usually taken from the fingers to check glucose levels.

• 3

  Tell the patient to apply a cotton swab covered in rubbing alcohol to the area that will be pricked and rub in an outward circular motion for further sterilization.

• 4

  Inform the patient not to touch the sterile area to prevent contamination.

• 5

  Tell the patient to allow the area to dry completely before pricking the skin.

• 6

  Instruct the patient to prick the finger with a lancing device with quick, direct pressure followed by immediate withdrawal.

• 7

  Advise the patient to wipe away the first show of blood with sterile gauze and explain that the levels of the first blood can be altered by mixing with alcohol from topical sterilization.

• 8

  Show the patient how to apply the second show of blood to the tip of the test strip on the monitor. Show the patient the Accu-Chek device's indicator that tells the patient when enough blood has been applied.

• 9

  Direct the patient to place the meter on a flat surface and to wait for the screen to show a blood glucose level.

• 10

  Express the importance of properly discarding all biohazardous material used in obtaining and cleaning blood, such as used lancing devices and blood-stained gauze. Tell the patient that all materials should be discarded immediately, out of reach of children and pets and not left in places where people can get stuck with contaminated lancing devices.