Patent ID: 8216156

Claim:
In a glucose monitoring system adapted for monitoring blood glucose, in which the glucose monitoring system includes a glucometer and an intravenous system which includes an intravenous line for administering fluids to a patient and through which blood samples are capable of being withdrawn, a sample port connected in the intravenous line and through which fluids are capable of flowing to the patient and through which blood is capable of being withdrawn from the patient, and a fluid drawing device connected into the intravenous line for controlling in one direction flow of fluids into the patient and for controlling in an opposite direction flow of blood from the patient through the sample port and into the fluid drawing device, an improved blood sampling device for coupling to the sample port to permit a blood sample to be deposited onto a test strip for analyzing blood glucose levels, the improved blood sampling device comprising in combination: a test strip having one end comprised of an absorbent material and a reagent adapted for detecting blood characteristics indicative of glucose levels, and another end comprised of electrical leads adapted for electronic coupling to the glucometer; and a test strip adapter configured for coupling the test strip in fluid communication with the sampling port of the intravenous line, the test strip adapter comprising: a base portion with a platform which has on a top side of the platform an unsealed mounting area, and the bottom side of said platform being joined to a blunt cannula configured for insertion into the sampling port, the blunt cannula providing fluid communication of a blood sample from the sampling port into the mounting area of the platform; the unsealed mounting area being configured to receive said test strip end comprised of the absorbent material and reagent; and said unsealed mounting area of the platform terminating at a point that is adapted to permit coupling of the test strip end comprised of electrical leads to the glucometer when the test strip is inserted in said mounting area without having to remove the test strip from the adapter.