Medical Assistant Prep / Unit 18 MAS 430 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Capillary Blood Glucose Testing
The idea
A capillary blood glucose test uses a drop of blood from a fingertip and a calibrated meter.
In practice
Step one: confirm the order, identify the patient, and gather the meter, lancet, test strip, alcohol swab and gauze. Step two: check that the meter has been calibrated according to the practice's policy. Step three: clean your hands and put on gloves. Clean the site with alcohol if policy requires, and let it dry completely. Step four: puncture the side of the fingertip with the lancet in a quick, deliberate motion. Step five: wipe away the first drop of blood, and apply the second drop to the strip. Step six: hold gauze on the site, read the result, and record it with the time.
Where people slip
Do not squeeze or milk the finger to get more blood. Extra tissue fluid dilutes the sample and damages the blood cells, which makes the reading unreliable.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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