Fasting Blood Sugar Testing question

[Mazzi]

It has been seven years since I last had to teach someone how to do self FBS test on a home monitor. While giving the instructions a family member stated that they no longer recommend cleansing the finger with alcohol. Is this true? I work float pool in Newborn Nursery and we still do alcohol swabs before the heel stick. What do most Diabetic Accu Check monitors recommend?Thanks

[LPNtoBSNstudent, BSN, RN]

Funny you should mention this, as I have heard the same thing, recently. I think it is because *IF* you do use alcohol swabs you are supposed to let it completely dry before you use the lancet because in theory, it could interfere with the reading. Most nurses I know still use alcohol swabs prior to doing the sticking. I'd be curious to hear what others have to say.

[Tizwit]

It has been seven years since I last had to teach someone how to do self FBS test on a home monitor. While giving the instructions a family member stated that they no longer recommend cleansing the finger with alcohol. Is this true? I work float pool in Newborn Nursery and we still do alcohol swabs before the heel stick. What do most Diabetic Accu Check monitors recommend?Thanks

The main reason for not using Alcohol is that it tends to dry out the skin faster as well as not being that great of a cleanser. These days we encourage people to wash their hand with soap and water if possible. The main reason is not to clean but to remove any possible contaminate from the finger that may give a false "High" reading and inturn altering the amount of insulin (or other medication) given.

Hope this helps

Brian