OSCE Notes >
Blood Glucose Testing
Introduction
- Wash hands, introduce yourself, confirm patient details, explain the procedure, obtain consent
- Ask the patient to wash their hands with soap and water
Preparation
- Wash hands
- Clean a tray
- Place equipment in the tray:
- Gloves
- Lancet
- Glucometer (calibrate with calibration fluid if necessary)
- Glucometer test strip (insert strip and turn glucometer on)
- Sterile gauze
Procedure
- Wash hands
- Choose lateral/medial border of finger pulp
- Put on gloves
- Pierce skin with a lancet
- Discard lancet into a sharps bin
- Wipe off the first drop of blood with gauze
- Massage finger from proximal to distal to encourage blood flow
- When a 2nd large drop of blood appears, apply golden part of test strip to side of blood drop until glucometer beeps
- Place gauze over the puncture site and apply pressure
To Complete
- Thank patient
- Discard test strip/waste and clean tray, then discard gloves and wash hands
- Record capillary glucose readings in the patient’s notes