The following are the general instructions for using a glucose meter:

1. Wash hands with soap and warm water and dry completely or clean the area with alcohol and dry completely. If you just wash your hands, that is enough to clean the area. You don’t have to wash hands and use alcohol. One or the other is sufficient.

2. Prick the fingertip with a lancet. The best places to get a good supply of blood is either the thumb or the pinky. That is where the most blood flow occurs.

3. Hold the hand down and hold the finger until a small drop of blood appears; catch the blood with the test strip.

4. Follow the instructions for inserting the test strip for your particular glucometer.

5. Record the test result. It is important to write down in the log that is included with your blood sugar machine. This gives you and the doctor an idea if the insulin or pill that you are on is working effectively.

FDA requires that glucose meters and the strips used with them have instructions for use. You should read carefully the instructions for both the meter and its test strips. Meter instructions are found in the user manual. Keep this manual to help you solve any problems that may arise. Many meters use “error codes” when there is a problem with the meter, the test strip, or the blood sample on the strip. You will need the manual to interpret these error codes and fix the problem.

You can get information about your meter and test strips from several different sources. Your user manual should include a toll free number in case you have questions or problems. If you have a problem and can’t get a response from this number, contact your healthcare provider or a local emergency room for advice. Also, the manufacturer of your meter should have a website. Check this website regularly to see if it lists any issues with the function of your meter.

New devices are for sale such as laser lancets and meters that can test blood taken from “alternative sites” of the body other than fingertips. Since new devices are used in new ways and often have new use restrictions, you must review the instructions carefully.

F. Kuhn, RN