During a home visit, the patient with diabetes mellitus tells the nurse that she is having a very difficult time obtaining blood for glucose monitoring. Which intervention does the nurse use to help the patient obtain a good blood sample?

Question

a. Asks the healthcare provider to order a different monitoring device
b. Instructs the patient to position the lancet on the side of finger or forearm
c. Teaches the patient to find a good site and use it repeatedly
d. Tells the patient to run warm water over the hand before testing

Answer 1

B
The nurse eliminates all patient-related factors that potentially interfere with glucose monitoring such as technique, dexterity, vision, or lack of knowledge. Regardless of the device being used for glucose testing, if the patient has difficulty implementing the procedure, changing devices is potentially futile if the same mistakes are repeated. Thus the nurse assists the patient with proper lancet positioning on the side of the finger or forearm to obtain enough blood for glucose moni-toring. If the patient lacks experience with the lancet, has a long history of glucose monitoring that causes accumulation of scar tissue at puncture sites, or avoids deep punctures because of pain, he or she requires teaching to refine and reinforce the proper technique for obtaining a blood droplet. The nurse avoids suggesting warm water because patients with diabetes often have neuropathies and vasculopathies as complications of hyperglycemia; thus the patient is likely to have impaired tissue perfusion and sensation to extremities.