Glucometer Procedures

Diabetes is characterized by either the body's inability to produce insulin, or resistance to its own insulin. Insulin is a hormone which helps move glucose from the blood into the body's cells for energy, self-repair, growth and other various cellular functions. Home blood glucose monitoring allows diabetics to monitor how much glucose is in the blood stream at a given time and adjust the amount of food or medication needed to move the glucose.

Preparation

• Several pieces of equipment are used for home blood glucose monitoring including a glucometer, test strips, a lancet, log book and a pen. Keep your supplies together. Testing your blood glucose can be done anywhere at anytime, but it is best to find a quiet spot where you will be comfortable and not distracted.

  Wash and thoroughly dry your hands. If you will be using an alternative site, wash and dry the area as well. Anything on your skin can affect the results. For this reason, it is not advisable to use rubbing alcohol. Most hand sanitizers contain alcohol. If you must use one, be sure the skin is completely dry and note in your log book that you used it.

  Check the code on your test strips to ensure it matches the code in your meter. There may be a chip inserted or the meter will give you this information when you turn it on.

Test Procedures

• Remove a test strip taking care not to touch the area where the blood sample goes. Depending on your meter you will either turn it on or insert the test strip which turns it on. For some meters you insert the test strip after the blood sample is placed on it. Others absorb the blood sample from the tip of the test strip pointing out of the meter.

  Massage the fingertip or other testing site to improve the blood flow. Quickly prick the site with your lancet device and gently squeeze out a small blood sample. Each meter has a parameter for the amount of blood it needs. An inadequate sample will be rejected.

  Touch the blood to the appropriate area on the test strip. Insert the test strip if this is how your meter works. Apply pressure with a cotton ball, tissue or paper towel to stop any bleeding.

  Observe the meter's screen. It should show that it is processing the sample. Refer to your meter's guide for the exact symbol. Most meters will beep when they reach a result.

The Results

• A number will show in the display which ideally will be between 80 and 130 for fasting and less than 180 after eating. Record this number in your log book, and follow your doctor's instructions for the recorded results.

  If you receive an error code, refer to your meter's guide for specific instructions. Errors usually result from an inadequate blood sample, mismatched coding chips and strips or low battery. Check your guide and repeat the test. Use a different site to obtain a new blood sample.