Checking blood sugars with a glucometer (1425)

Key points below

The glucometer is a device that checks blood sugars. Checking blood sugars helps your provider know if medicine is needed. If medicine is already being used, it will tell your provider how much is needed.

When should we check a blood sugar?

Your provider will tell you how often you should check blood sugars.
- You may need to test:
o Before snacks or meals
o With exercise
o Overnight
o When not feeling well

What supplies are needed to check a blood sugar?

diabetes supplies

How should we check blood sugar?

1. Wash hands with soap and water. Do not use hand sanitizer or wet wipes. They might affect the blood sugar reading.
2. Remove cover from the poker and put the lancet in. Twist off the top of the new lancet. Put the cover back on.
3. Prepare the poker for use. Each one is different.
4. Put the test strip in the meter, with the testing side out. This turns the meter on.
5. Hold the poker against the side of the finger tip. Do not put it against the fingernail. Press the button to poke the skin. Set the poker aside.
6. Hold or press the finger firmly just below the first finger joint to get a drop of blood. If the blood doesn’t come out, let the hand hang down until fingertip is pink.
7. Touch a drop of blood to the test strip.
8. Press cotton ball or tissue on poke site to stop bleeding.
9. Read the blood sugar number on the glucometer. Write this number in the log book.
10. If it is time to change the lancet, take it out of the poker. Put it in the red sharps box. Throw the used test strip into the garbage.

Tips for blood sugar testing

The lancet should only be used to poke 1 person.
If you keep the lancet in the poker, you can use the same lancet for the whole day. Change it once a day.
It is also okay to use a new lancet for each poke. New lancets are sharper and cleaner, and may hurt less.
Your meter may come with a testing solution. This is used once per month or with a new meter. It checks your device to make sure you can trust the results. Follow the directions that come with the meter.
Try not to clean fingertips with alcohol. This can make the skin too dry. If you need to use alcohol, make sure it air-dries before testing.
Sometimes the test can give a high reading if there is food or sugar on fingertips. You may need to rewash and retest.

Teach Back:

1. How often should you change your child’s lancet?
2. How often should you check your child’s blood sugar?
3. Tell your educator how you would share with a teacher or coach how to check a blood sugar.
4. Show your educator where you should poke your child’s finger.

For other health and wellness information, check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents

ALERT

Call your child’s doctor, nurse, or clinic if you have any questions or concerns or if your child has special health care needs that were not covered by this information.