Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
Published on: June 11, 2012
An interactive two-step training and management model of point-of-care glucose testing in northern Finland
Liisa Lehto1, Eeva Liikanen, Tarja Melkko
1Laboratory, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. liisa.lehto@ppshp.fi
Objectives:
To assess an interactive 2-step training and management model for nurses in glucose point-of-care testing (POCT).
Study Design:
The training of the nursing staff by the point-of-care coordinator of the laboratory started with interactive sessions with contact persons who subsequently trained their nursing colleagues at the Oulu University Hospital in northern Finland. The 2-step training model was applied in blood glucose testing as a pilot study.
Methods:
Functional quality was assessed through interviews with clinical contact persons and a questionnaire was given to the trained nurses. Technical quality was assessed through control measurements by laboratory and nursing staff.
Results:
Training succeeded because of basic resources (trainers' knowledge and skills, organized contents of training and place), interpersonal communication and high-quality interactions. Nurses were especially satisfied with the prerequisite training of the contact persons (mean score 1.58, Likert scale from -2 to +2, strongly disagree - strongly agree). Day-to-day repeatabilities of less than 3% were achieved in control measurements by both nursing and laboratory staff.
Conclusions:
The interactive 2-step training and management model could be implemented in the clinical units using a reasonable amount of laboratory resources. The goal of good functional and technical quality in point-of-care testing in the clinical units was achieved. Despite successful implementation, POCT needs continuous support from the laboratory.
