2.8: Capillary Blood Glucose (CBG)
- Page ID
- 84361
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)
\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)
\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
Assessing blood glucose should be a part of every patient with altered mentation. Concerning findings for EMS professionals include readings below 60 mg/dL, and above 500-600 mg/dL. Be familiar with the Glucometer specs supplied by your service. Sometimes you might get a reading of “LO” or “HI”, the manufacturer specs will give the ranges of blood sugar levels that fall into those categories (usually under 20 mg/dL or over 500 mg/dL)
To take a CBG:
- Ensure proper PPE. Have a sharps container handy.
- Identify a finger of choice – ideally off to the side of the distal tip as it tends to hurt less.
- Clean the site using an alcohol pad & let it dry.
- Insert test strip into monitor.
- Communicate to your patient that they will feel a “poke”.
- Use your department approved lancet to puncture the site and draw blood.
- With the test strip inserted, bring the end of the test strip to the blood, and allow it to “soak up” into the strip.
- You should have a reading within 10 seconds – record the reading.
- Control bleeding as necessary use gauze and direct pressure.
*On rare occasion the patient’s fingers are so calloused that the lancet does not penetrate deep enough to obtain a blood sample, the patient’s ear lobe might be a good alternative to get blood sample with lancet
CBG | 1 | 2 | 3 (instructor) |
CBG Reading mg/DL | |||
Initials |
The original copy of this book resides at openoregon.pressbooks.pub/emslabmanual. If you are reading this work at an alternate web address, it may contain content that has not been vetted by the original authors and physician reviewers.