How to Use a Diabetes Test Meter

Diabetes is a common disease that many people suffer from. It is a disease that is controllable and some people use a diabetes test meter at home instead of going to the doctor's office to get their glucose level checked.

Using a Diabetes test meter at home may seem difficult to do at first, but it eventually gets easier with practice.

1. Gather all the materials you are going to need before you begin the procedure such as the test meter, alcohol, cotton swab, test strip and lancet.


2. Clean your hands thoroughly using soap and water and make sure they are completely dry.


3. Dip the cotton ball in rubbing alcohol.


4. Use the cotton ball to clean the area where you are going to be running the test, which in most cases the top of the finger.


5. Allow the swabbed area to dry thoroughly.


6. Use the lancet to prick your finger.


7. Hold the finger in a downward position and catch a drop of the blood on a test strip.


8. Place the strip with the blood intact on the designated spot on the test meter.


9. Properly dispose of the unused materials and wash your hands thoroughly.


10. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to record the results. The range on most meters will be from 0 to 600 mg/dl. Your doctor should have instructed what is considered to be high or low. There are several things that could result in a bad reading such as bad test strips or a dirty meter, so it is recommended that the meter be cleaned on regular basis.