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Nancy Klobassa, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
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Nancy Klobassa, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
Nancy Klobassa and Peggy Moreland
Nancy Klobassa, R.N., B.S.N, C.D.E
Nancy Klobassa is a registered nurse who has worked in diabetes education for 14 years. She is a certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.) and is currently in graduate school working on a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) and Health Care Education.Nancy works with adults who have type 1, type 2 and other forms of diabetes. Nancy is coordinator of the Diabetes Unit's intensive insulin therapy program within the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition & Metabolism at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Nancy has worked extensively with insulin pump therapy and continuous interstitial glucose sensing.
Peggy Moreland, R.N., M.S.N.
Peggy Moreland is a diabetes educator in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition & Metabolism at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.Peggy graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing and Health Care Education from the University of Phoenix and is a member of the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the American Diabetes Association. Peggy enjoys working with patients to set and achieve diabetes self-management goals.
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Living with diabetes blog
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Feb. 20, 2009
Choosing the right blood glucose meter
By Nancy Klobassa, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
If you have diabetes, blood glucose testing is a way of life. Blood glucose meters are small battery-operated devices that make it convenient for people to check their blood sugar levels anywhere. They are also smaller, faster, and require less blood than in the past.
Blood glucose meters require that you prick your finger or alternative site and put a drop of blood on a test strip that is inserted into the meter. Testing regularly allows you to look for patterns to see if your blood glucose is in a safe range. If not, a change in diet, increase exercise, or a visit to your healthcare provider for medication to lower blood sugar and your risk of complications may be needed.
Blood glucose monitoring can also tell you if your blood sugar is too low, a potentially dangerous situation that requires you to eat or drink something with 10-15 grams of carbohydrates.
You have probably seen many advertisements for blood glucose meters and are wondering which meter is the best one for you. Most meters are accurate in how they measure your glucose but they differ in type and number of features that they offer. The American Diabetes Association provides several tips for finding the blood glucose meter that best fits your needs and lifestyle:
- Insurance — Many health insurance companies will only pay for specific meters or have limitations on cost. Check with your insurance company to see what it will pay for and if they cover the cost of test strips.
- Budget — The cost of blood glucose testing is often a barrier to regular testing. Before buying a meter, check the cost of meter test strips, especially if your insurance does not pay for them. A meter may be the cheapest one on the market, but is not a good deal if the strips cost twice as much.
- Ease of use — Larger meter or small? Small meters are more convenient for carrying, but also require more dexterity to use. Look at the packaging for the test strips; are they easy to open? If you have vision problems, look for a meter with a larger display or voice module. Size of strips may also be a consideration, Are the strips so small that you can't get a good grip on them? You might want to consider a meter that uses cartridges instead of individual strips.
- Blood sample size — Check to see how big a blood sample is needed for blood glucose testing. Blood sample size ranges from 0.3 (amount that would fit on the head of a pin) to 4.0 microliters.
- Check during the night? — Consider a meter that has a backlight.
- Alternate site testing — Many new meters on the market today allow you to use alternate sites such as the palm or forearm for testing.
- Support — Many meter manufacturers include a toll-free number on the back of the meter or packaging that you can call for help. Look for a meter that includes clear instructions that demonstrate the correct way to use the meter.
- Smart meters — Some meters store a certain number of blood glucose results in memory. You can find meters with sophisticated data management systems that track diet and exercise as well as your blood glucose.
- Download blood glucose readings to a computer — Most meters offer the ability to download your blood glucose readings to the computer and email the test results to your doctor. However, not all companies offer software that is compatible with Apple computers. Check out compatibility with the manufacturer before you buy.
What are your thoughts? Are there any features that you look for in a meter?
- Peggy
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