Type 1 student forgot his meter!

Specialties School

Published

What would you do if you had a student with insulin due and you can't test his blood sugar because he forgot his meter and his parents are an hour away?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in kids.

I have one in my office for that very reason

Up Vote Up Vote ×

yes, please keep a back up in your office!

Since it sounds like you don't have one there for right now, the parents will have to bring one in. If the kid is feeling low then give them a snack. High blood sugar is not an emergency (usually). Low blood sugar can become an emergency quickly.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have a backup in my office....but I would do what kidzcare posted.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

My type 1 forgot his bag also the other day for the first time. But thankfully his parents live blocks away, so could just bring it in. I agree with Kid though - if he has already eaten, hopefully he won't go too high before someone can bring it in. And I wouldn't think he'd be low if he is due for insulin.

I don't have a spare in my office either. With only 1 diabetic in the school, I can't budget it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That sounds like a pretty good idea. I only have one DM student and he keeps his meter here at school, but I got a call from another school in the corporation with the above situation. It's never occurred to me that it would be something I need to have on hand; my kiddo's is always here and his very responsible mom is only a few minutes away if his meter should ever break. Maybe we need to have one as a corporation...this is the first time in my four years here that this has ever come up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
yes, please keep a back up in your office!

Since it sounds like you don't have one there for right now, the parents will have to bring one in. If the kid is feeling low then give them a snack. High blood sugar is not an emergency (usually). Low blood sugar can become an emergency quickly.

Totally agree, if you can't check his BG don't give the insulin.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i keep a spare meter and strips. Too often kids either forget or run out of strips and I will lend them use of my meter and let them know that THIS can't happen. The meters aren't horribly expensive. They have the one that's the meter and little container of strips all in one. It's not too pricey. They even sell it for like $20 bucks at Walmart if you can get some petty cash from your business office.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School.

I don't have a spare in my office either. With only 1 diabetic in the school, I can't budget it.

We got extras from our local Endocrinologist. Only catch there is it only comes with about 10 strips and we have to buy the replacements.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nurse.

Just had an AH HA moment after reading this post. Don't know why it never crossed my mind to purchase a meter for the clinic. When I left school yesterday stopped by Walgreens and purchased a meter with lancing device and 10 lancets for $7.99 (with in-store coupon).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School nursing.

My back-up costs me less than $20. I order a small supply test strips for it off Amazon for less than $20 (and usually that lasts awhile). It isn't one of the "fancy" meters - but it works in a pinch.

One of my diabetic students also has a back-up that she leaves at school on purpose. It is an older meter that we kept after she upgraded. Though for students with the omnipod, when they forget their PDM... (Why I have back up insulin, syringes, and a calculator handy).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in kids.
We got extras from our local Endocrinologist. Only catch there is it only comes with about 10 strips and we have to buy the replacements.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/All-in-One-Blood-Glucose-Testing-System/10818578

$20

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment