Glucose Monitoring

Critical Elements

• Proper cleaning of equipment before and after use.
• Safely troubleshoot monitor problems.
• Takes monitor out of circulation when malfunction identified.

Procedure

Prior to Treatment: (Critical Thinking)

• Determine need for glucose monitoring.
• Gather equipment: glucose monitor, alcohol wipe, reagent strips.

Patient Interaction: (Safety)

• Patient identifiers.
• Explain procedure.
• Wash hands.

Steps of the Procedure: (Patient Centered Care; Safety)

1. Apply gloves.
2. Turn on monitor and calibrate to manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Check expiration date on the container of reagent strips.
4. Remove the strip from container.
5. Select puncture site on the lateral aspect of a finger and clean with alcohol prep. Allow to dry. Rotate puncture sites.
6. Position the finger in a dependent position and message toward the fingertip.
7. If circulation is poor, place a warm cloth on the site for about 10 minutes.
8. Engage the sterile injector, remove cover and place disposable lancet firmly in the end of injector.
9. Secure the finger, placing injector firmly against the skin.  Push the release switch, allowing the needle to pierce the skin.
10. Lightly squeeze the finger until a droplet of blood has collected, wipe away the first drop and squeeze again.
11. Place blood drop on reagent strip, place the strip in the meter and push start.
12. Use a gauze pad, gently applying pressure to the puncture site.
13. After the meter signals, read the glucose level, turn off the machine.
14. Remove gloves and dispose of properly.

After Procedure (Patient Centered Care)

• Straighten room making patient comfortable, replace call light.
• Clean equipment per agency policy.
• Wash hands before leaving room.

Documentation (Informatics, Communication)

• Outcome of glucose results.
• Patient’s response to procedure.

Resources

• How to test your blood glucose