Testing For Blood Glucose - Accu-Chek Compact Plus Reference Manual

8.2 Testing blood glucose
Wear protective gloves.
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Wash or disinfect the patient's finger and allow it to dry thoroughly.
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The drop of blood cannot spread so easily over dry skin.
Residues of water or disinfectant on the skin can dilute the drop
of blood and so produce false results.
The test strip cannot properly draw up blood that has spread over
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the skin.
Use a finger pricker that is approved for use by healthcare profes-
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sionals.
Use a finger pricker with adjustable penetration depth settings.
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Select a penetration depth to suit the nature of the patient's skin.
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Start with a shallow depth setting.
To test blood glucose you require approximately 1.5 µL of blood.
Avoid producing large drops of blood on the patient's finger, as
these may come into contact with the meter.
Wipe off any large drops of blood and test using the drop of blood
that forms again at the puncture site.
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Blood glucose testing in a multi-patient setting
Select a puncture site along the side of a fingertip.
Turn the finger so the chosen puncture site is facing upwards, and
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keep it facing upwards. The drop of blood cannot then spread so
easily.
Lance the side of the fingertip.
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Using gentle pressure, massage the finger towards the fingertip
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to encourage a drop of blood to form. A proper drop of blood must
form.
i If you collect blood from an earlobe, be sure that the blood is on
top and not hanging from the earlobe. Hold the earlobe or posi-
tion the patient so the puncture site is on top.
Blood glucose testing in a multi-patient setting
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