Why do we discard the first drop of blood?

Why do we discard the first drop of blood?

Some facilities test the first drop of blood. Others require nursing personnel to wipe away the first drop of blood with gauze, and test the second drop. The rationale for wiping away the first drop of blood is that the alcohol in the prep pad, and consequently on the fingertip, may alter values.

Should I wipe away the first drop of blood?

Wipe away the first drop of blood (which tends to contain excess tissue fluid). pressure to the surrounding tissue until another drop of blood appears. Avoid “milking”. The drop of blood must be big enough to fill the strip completely.

Why should you wipe the finger down well with an alcohol pad before pricking the finger for blood?

This may be of interest on alcohol wipes in general. “Cleaning the finger with an alcohol swab prior to taking a blood sample is commonly recommended as a way to make sure the test site is clean.

Should you squeeze your finger after pricking?

Be sure to prick the side of your finger, not the pad. Pricking the end of your finger can be more painful. Though it may be a tempting way to produce more blood quickly, don’t squeeze your fingertip vigorously. Instead, hang your hand and arm down, allowing blood to pool in your fingertips.

When performing a finger puncture the first drop of blood should be?

FINGER STICK

1. Position the patient so that the hand is easily accessible.
2. Cleanse the fingertip of the 3rd (middle) or 4th (ring) finger with an alcohol prep.
3. Using a sterile lancet, puncture the fingertip in the fleshy part of the finger, slightly to the side.
4. Wipe away the first drop of blood with a sterile 2×2 gauze.

Is it OK to reuse lancets?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) strongly recommends against reusing any lancet, particularly if it happens to involve more than one person. No kidding. Sharing needles is, of course, a whole different ballgame: Just don’t do it.

Which finger is best for blood sample?

To collect your blood, we recommend using the side of your ring finger. After washing your hands in warm water, the alcohol wipe included in your kit can be used to clean your chosen finger.

Can a lancet be reused?

Should you wipe finger with alcohol before checking blood sugar?

The answer is: No. Using alcohol is not necessary before checking your glucose levels. There’s no need to sterilize your finger before pricking it for a blood sugar reading.

Can I use a lancet on my arm?

Whether testing alternate sites or at the fingertip, try the Accu-Chek ® FastClix lancing device—the only 1-click lancing device with a drum. Some blood glucose meters allow you to use a blood sample from a nonfingertip or alternate site such as your palm, forearm or upper arm.

Why do lancets hurt so much?

If you place the lancing device on the side of your finger, you’ll feel that poke much less than if you use the center of your finger. That’s because there are fewer nerve endings in that part than in the middle of your fingertip.

Does using a lancet hurt?

Use a Fresh Lancet Each lancet starts out nice and sharp. But if you use the same one repeatedly for your diabetes blood sugar testing, as many people try to do, it can become dull. This doesn’t bother everyone, but it could be contributing to your finger-pricking pain.

How do you use the first drop of blood?

Firstly, using the first drop of blood after washing the hands with soap and water or after disinfecting the finger and waiting until the finger is dry ( 3 ). Secondly, using the first drop of blood after washing the hands with soap and water and using the second drop of blood when the patient has not washed the hands ( 4 ).

Should you use the second drop of blood after wiping hands?

If washing hands is not possible, and they are not visibly soiled or exposed to a sugar-containing product, it is acceptable to use the second drop of blood after wiping away the first drop. External pressure may lead to unreliable readings. Jessica Apple grew up in Houston.

Why is the first drop of blood in a blood clot discarded?

This is the reason why the first drop is always discarded. May contain “tissue juice” and enhance coagulation. Just wipe first blood without squeezing and don’t squeeze too hard or you will get more tissue juice.

How is blood glucose concentration calculated from a finger puncture?

A finger puncture was performed. A mean capillary blood glucose concentration was obtained by averaging the result obtained from the first and second drops of blood (the finger was wiped off after the first drop was obtained). This result was used as the control after instrument combined with strip and performance bias were excluded.