Exam Info

What to Do When the Applicant Doesn't Have to Fast

The short answer? Tell them to fast anyway.

Of course, there are the obvious exceptions: diabetics come to mind. But apart from those, fasting never hurts the lab results, and usually helps.

If you don't tell folks to fast, you will walk in to the appointment, and the applicant will have the last bite of a Big Mac in her mouth. Or will have a beer in hand. (Not that I have anything against Big Macs. Or beers. But you get the idea).

Obviously, the best fast is the long one: from 10 p.m. or midnight until you get there at 8 or 9 a.m. But you can't get everyone that way. Even if the applicant can only fast for a couple of hours, it will help. Suggest, say, an 11:30 a.m. appointment after a light breakfast, and nothing after that. Or 6 p.m., with a light lunch, and nothing but water (and "water" is not a generic term for "liquids," unless you want to do a blood sugar after someone has had 3 sugary soft drinks) after that.

(Remind people that fasting does not -- under these circumstances -- involve going without water. Otherwise, things are pretty grim by the time you get there).

Just encourage fasting. Agents will appreciate your doing so, and most applicants will understand if you explain it to them.

posted by Jim Huffman @ 8:49 AM