Alcohol Swabs

[OyWithThePoodles, RN]

I searched a couple of other forums in AN, but I want to know what my fellow SN's do.

One of my diabetic kiddos refuses the alcohol swabs because her mom says it will affect her numbers. So she washes her hands instead.

Her brother uses the swabs.

So I did a little research and of course it said that alcohol swabs can either make an abnormally high or abnormally low result. Go figure.

I know that you want to make sure it is good and dry. And honestly if I wipe away that first drop of blood (like it is drilled into us in nursing school) I usually cannot get the finger to bleed again because the lancet needle is understandably small.

What do you all do? Swab or no swab?

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i don't mind them doing either. Most of mine use cotton balls and the push top alcohol and then dry the excess alcohol with another cotton ball before lancing. They use the extra cotton ball they used to dry to clean off any extra blood from their fingers. I think i have one student that is a dedicated soap and water user though. I don't care as long as those hands are clean!

[grammy1]

I'm in a junior high and the only time there is alcohol used is when I check the glucose or give the insulin. The children's hospital endocrinology dept said that's fine.

[AdobeRN]

Doesn't matter to me either just as long as hands are clean. I have 1 kid that only uses soap/water & the other 2 will use the alcohol.

[OldDude]

Either is fine as long as you let the alcohol dry completely. If there is some residue of something left you will avoid contamination if you wipe off the first drop and squeeze out a 2nd drop for the analysis.

[OyWithThePoodles, RN]

Thanks guys!

In the hospital we have to use alcohol, if the higher-ups every see you not using alcohol they will gripe. Blah, blah, blah.

Just wanted to see what y'all do in the school setting.