Peter Antevy explains when and how to run control tests on glucometers: insert a strip, apply control solution, and check that results fall within acceptable ranges (Control 1: 115-173; Control 2: 208-312). Test when first using a glucometer, opening new strips, seeing error messages, or after dropping the device. Control solution expires 90 days after opening.
Questions this video answers
115–173
208–312
90 days after opening
EMS captains
Chapters
In the upcoming weeks to make it easier for crews to perform a control substance test on the glucometer. The control substance solution will be delivered to each station by your EMS captains with the solution. A quick reference guide on troubleshooting. The glucometer will be left at each of your stations. Control substance solution will be stored stored in each rescue and engine as well as backups in your medical supply room so that each engine and rescue can perform the tests when needed. A controlled substance test will need to be performed when crews want to practice the testing procedure using the control solution instead of blood when using the glucometer for the first time. When crews open a new box of individually wrapped test strips. If the glucometer or test strips are not functioning properly or you're receiving error messages if patient symptoms are inconsistent with the blood glucose test results and you suspect that the glucometer or test strips are not functioning properly. And lastly, if you drop or damage the glucometer. Now let's review on how to perform this controlled substance test.
We're going to walk through on how to get this thing ready to go, how to get it operational. We got to use our Control 1 and our Control 2 solutions. So let me go ahead and walk you through how that's going to work. We're going to open up our test strip. We're going to go ahead and put it into the port. And whenever we put it into the port, you're going to see a little symbol that's going to come up that's going to tell you to go ahead and apply the blood. So we'll take out our control one and what we'll do is we're going to just put a couple drops here on this little piece of paper here, and we're going to just take the tip of the glucometer and what you see is it'll automatically draw that fluid up and it begins to count down. As it begins to count down, you'll see that it says 141. Now, the range is going to be detailed on the box of test strips. So control one will have a range for these particular test strips. It's anywhere between 115 and 173 whenever you use control one. So now we're going to go ahead and test control number two. We're going to get our go through the same process. Shake this up.
Just apply a couple drops there and same thing.
It'S going to count down.
And this says 254. And again, that falls within range the acceptable range for these test strips are between 208 and 312. In addition to that, this solution is Only good for 90 days after you open the bottle. So there's an expiration date printed clearly on it. Take a pen and Write on there 90 days from the date that you open it. Thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it. Stay safe.
