Published
You have anywhere from 5 to 10 seconds to apply the blood. If you haven't applied blood yet and the meter turns off, I take the strip out and reinsert it. Could that be what she is confused about? If she would think about it, just taking a strip out of the bottle and waiting longer than three seconds wouldn't cause the strip to stop working. They are just loose in the bottle, nothing there to "protect" the strips and keep them "activated".
gonzo1, ASN, RN
1,739 Posts
The other day at work one of the nurses told me that she has to take the strip container into the patients room because you only have 3 seconds to touch the blood to the strip before the strip expires or won't work.
In 10 years of nursing I swear I never heard that before. Can it be true? I would also think taking the container into rooms would be an infection no no.
help help help