Ateneo de Zamboanga University

College of Nursing
NURSING SKILLS OUTPUT

HEMOGLUCOTEST

Definition

A blood sugar test is a procedure that measures the amount of sugar, or glucose,
in your blood. Your doctor may order this test to help diagnose diabetes. People with
diabetes can also use this test to manage their condition.

Blood sugar tests provide instant results and let you know the following:

 your diet or exercise routine needs to change

 how your diabetes medications or treatment is working
 if your blood sugar levels are high or low
 your overall treatment goals for diabetes are manageable
 Your doctor may also order a blood sugar test as part of a routine checkup. They
may also be looking to see if you have diabetes or prediabetes, a condition
where your blood sugar levels are higher than normal.

Your risk for diabetes increases if any of the following factors are true:

 you are 45 years old or older

 you are overweight
 you don’t exercise much
 you have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, or low good cholesterol levels
(HDL)
 you have a history of gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby who weighed
over 9 pounds
 you have a history if insulin resistance
 you have a history of strokes or hypertension
 you are Asian, African, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, or Native American
 you have a family history of diabetes

Purposes

Your doctor may order a blood sugar test to see if you have diabetes or
prediabetes. The test will measure the amount of glucose in your blood.

Your body takes carbohydrates found in foods like grains and fruits and converts
them into glucose. Glucose, a sugar, is one of the body’s main sources of energy.
 For people with diabetes, a home test helps monitor blood sugar levels. Taking a
blood sugar test can help determine your blood sugar level to see if you need to adjust
your diet, exercise, or diabetes medications.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to seizures or a coma if left untreated.
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can lead to ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition
that’s often a concern for those with type 1 diabetes.

Ketoacidosis occurs when your body starts using only fat for fuel. Hyperglycemia
over a long period can increase your risk for neuropathy (nerve damage), along with
heart, kidney, and eye diseases.

Objectives

1. To measure the amount of glucose in your blood.

2. To Identify blood sugar levels that are high or low.
3. To Understand how other factors, such as illness or stress, affect blood sugar
levels

Equipment’s:
 Hgt strip  Lancet
 Cotton balls with alcohol  Color chart
 Cotton balls without alcohol  Gloves

Procedures

 Wash and dry your hands.

Rationale: Using warm water may help the blood flow.
 Turn on the meter and prepare a test strip as outlined in your owner's booklet.
Many Accu-Chek meters turn on automatically when a strip is inserted.
 Rationale:
 Choose your spot
Rationale: Don't check from the same finger all the time. Using the side of the
fingertip may be less painful than the pads.
 Prepare the lancing device according to the user guide provided, then lance your
fingertip or other approved site to get a drop of blood
Rationale: Lance on the side of the fingertip rather than the pad. The pad of your
fingertip where your fingerprints are most visible are some of the most sensitive
parts of your body.
 Touch and hold the test strip opening to the drop until it has absorbed enough
blood to begin the test.
Rationale:
 View your test result and take the proper steps if your blood sugar is high or low,
based on your healthcare professionals' recommendations.
Rationale:
 Discard the used lancet properly.
 Rationale: Immediately dispose of them as they are now considered a biohazard,
i.e. hazardous medical waste
 Record the results in a logbook, hold them in the meter's memory or download to
an app or computer.
Rationale: For review and analyzation later.

Nursing Responsibilities with Rationale

1. Educate about home glucose monitoring

RATIONALE: Discuss glucose monitoring at home with the patient according to
individual parameters to identify and manage glucose variations.

4. Review factors in glucose instability

RATIONALE: Review client’s common situations that contribute to glucose
instability because there are multiple factors that can play a role at any time like
missing meals, infection, or other illnesses. 

5. Encourage client to read labels. 

RATIONALE: The client must choose foods described as having a low glycemic
index, higher fiber, and low-fat content.

6. Discuss how client’s antidiabetic medications work. 

RATIONALE: Educate client on the functions of his or her medications because
there are combinations of drugs that work in different ways with different blood
glucose control and side effects.

7. Check viability of insulin. 

RATIONALE: Emphasize the importance of checking expiration dates of
medications, inspecting insulin for cloudiness if it is normally clear, and
monitoring proper storage and preparation because this affect insulin
absorbability.

8. Review type of insulin used. 

RATIONALE: Note the type of insulin to be administered together with the
method of delivery and time of administration. This affects timing of effects and
provides clues to potential timing of glucose instability.

9. Check injection sites periodically. 

RATIONALE: Insulin absorption can vary day to day in healthy sites and is less
absorbable in lipohypertrophic tissues.
Illustration:
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Clinical Instructor