Where is glucose commonly drawn for point-of-care testing in a pediatric patient?

• A. The fingertip
• B. The heel
• C. The earlobe
• D. From a vein in the arm

Answer: (B)

In pediatric point-of-care glucose testing, you use a capillary blood sample from a site that’s quick and easy to access on a small child. The heel is the standard site for infants because it provides reliable capillary blood with minimal disturbance and is readily reachable on a tiny patient. This makes the procedure fast and practical in field or emergency settings. The fingertip is more appropriate for older children when the heel isn’t suitable, but for the typical pediatric scenario described, the heel remains the common choice. Venous draws from the arm take more time and require venous access, which isn’t as convenient for rapid POC testing, and the earlobe isn’t a standard site for glucose.