QMA Insulin Blood Glucose Monitoring 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A resident's blood glucose reading is 58 mg/dL. What is the priority action?
- Administer the scheduled insulin dose
- Report the hypoglycemic value to the nurse immediately (Correct answer)
- Recheck in 30 minutes without intervention
- Document and continue with routine care
Correct answer: Report the hypoglycemic value to the nurse immediately
A blood glucose below 70 mg/dL indicates hypoglycemia and must be reported to the nurse immediately for treatment.
Question 2: Which finger site is generally preferred for blood glucose testing in adults?
- Thumb
- Index finger tip center
- Lateral side of the fingertip (Correct answer)
- Pinky finger
Correct answer: Lateral side of the fingertip
The lateral (side) aspect of the fingertip is preferred because it has fewer nerve endings, causing less pain while still providing adequate blood flow.
Question 3: What is the correct action if blood does not flow freely after lancing a finger?
- Squeeze the finger forcefully from base to tip
- Apply gentle pressure near the puncture site (Correct answer)
- Lance the same site again immediately
- Add saline to the testing strip
Correct answer: Apply gentle pressure near the puncture site
Gentle pressure near the puncture site encourages blood flow without diluting the sample, which could occur with forceful squeezing.
Question 4: A resident ate a large meal 30 minutes ago. How does this affect blood glucose testing?
- Results will be falsely low
- Results will reflect a postprandial rise (Correct answer)
- Results are unaffected by recent meals
- Testing should be postponed 24 hours
Correct answer: Results will reflect a postprandial rise
Blood glucose rises after eating (postprandial), so a reading taken 30 minutes after a meal reflects that expected elevation.
Question 5: Which of the following causes a falsely LOW blood glucose reading on a glucometer?
- High altitude
- Insufficient blood on the test strip (Correct answer)
- Extremely high blood glucose
- Recent exercise
Correct answer: Insufficient blood on the test strip
An insufficient blood sample on the test strip is a common technical cause of falsely low glucose readings.
Question 6: A resident is shaking, pale, and confused. The blood glucose reads 48 mg/dL. What should the QMA do first?
- Give the scheduled insulin injection
- Notify the nurse immediately (Correct answer)
- Give the resident a glass of orange juice
- Retest in 15 minutes
Correct answer: Notify the nurse immediately
The QMA must notify the nurse immediately; treatment decisions for hypoglycemia are outside the QMA's scope without a nurse directive.
Question 7: How should a QMA document a blood glucose value of 210 mg/dL obtained before breakfast?
- Record only if above 250 mg/dL
- Document the value, time, and that it was a fasting/pre-meal reading (Correct answer)
- Round to the nearest 50 mg/dL
- Wait until after insulin is given to document
Correct answer: Document the value, time, and that it was a fasting/pre-meal reading
Accurate documentation includes the exact reading, time, and context (pre-meal/fasting) to give the nurse complete clinical information.
QMA Insulin Blood Glucose Monitoring 2
A resident's blood glucose reading is 58 mg/dL.
What is the priority action?