Explanation should include that point-of-care testing
- uses minute amounts of blood
- can be performed for immediate (i.e., stat) results without sending the patient to a laboratory setting
- uses a handheld glucose meter or comparable device.
Process/Skill Questions:
- Why is it important to have the ability to run a blood glucose level at the patient's bedside?
- Why is it often important to get immediate laboratory results on a patient?
- When is point-of-care testing more economical than traditional lab testing?