How do you check the patient's blood glucose??

1. cleanse area with alcohol swab
2. Lancet the area.
3. Wipe alcohol and blood off area to ensure proper reading
4. Take sample with glucometer
5. Apply 2x2 and let patient hold pressure if still bleeding.

Moved to nursing research request forum.

I was going to type everything when I realized Chenoasprit already did...

1. cleanse area with alcohol swab
2. Lancet the area.
3. Wipe alcohol and blood off area to ensure proper reading
4. Take sample with glucometer
5. Apply 2x2 and let patient hold pressure if still bleeding.

A 2x2 is a gauze sponge, approximately 4 cm x 4 cm. (2 inches x 2 inches here in the US.)

As students, we have been told NOT to use alcohol to clean the finger of choice as alcohol can give a false (+) reading.

- Which solution do you use to clean the area? (Alcohol, iodine etc.)
We are told just to have them wash with soap and water and towel dry. Alcohol can give a wrong result.






- Do you check the first blood sample or do you clean the first sample and take the second? Or do you want your patient to clean his/her hand?
We always clean the first drop of blood and take the second. Then we cleanse the site and apply a band-aid or a 2x2 gauze if bleeding.

- Which solution do you use to clean the area? (Alcohol, iodine etc.)
We (my school and the hospitals we have clinicals at) use alcohol, but we make sure it dries fully before we do the test or it will give a false (low) reading. (Unfortunately I know from experience, Nursing 101).


- Do you check the first blood sample or do you clean the first sample and take the second? Or do you want your patient to clean his/her hand?
We were taught to clean off the first drop and use the second drop. Obviously most of the nurses don't since pt's always ask why I am doing that.
In truth, sometimes if it has been a chore to get that first drop out and I am worried about getting enough blood for a sample I will just use the initial drop to avoid squeezing the pt's finger too much (mostly with very elderly pt's with poor circulationa and callused fingers).

Generally we do exactly as chenoaspirit and sharrie said:
1. cleanse area with alcohol swab
2. Lancet the area.
3. Wipe alcohol and blood off area to ensure proper reading
4. Take sample with glucometer
5. Apply 2x2 and let patient hold pressure if still bleeding.

We also do not cleanse the site with alcohol after as our in-service edcation said alcohol will just increase bleeding. (vasodilation?)