Teaching Plan for Diabetes Patients
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Teaching Plan for Diabetes Patients
Introduction
Diabetes is a serious and life-threatening disease. It remains prevalent around the world and is one of the major causes of death (Nazar et al., 2016). Reports indicate that over 30 million patients in the US were diagnosed with diabetes in 2015. However, the disease can be efficiently managed by employing proper intervention methods. Conversely, there are multiple barriers to optimal diabetes management. The barriers are complex and involve individuals, communities, organizations, government, and health system-level factors. Besides, studies show that ethnic and racial minorities are the most affected groups and experience disproportionate diabetes burden and complications. Consequently, diabetes training programs program remain vital in the management of the disease. Diabetic patients need to be aware of nature, risk factors, complications, and individual treatment and self-care. Creating a teaching plan ensures patient awareness and improves literacy about the disease as it involves effective leadership, good communication process, and efficient coordination of resources.
Summary of the Problem
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder. It is characterized by a high glucose level in the body, whereby the body cannot either produce enough insulin or respond to the insulin produced. The pancreases excrete insulin facilitating the absorption of glucose into human blood cells. When the body ceases to make enough insulin, sugars accumulate in the blood. Frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, and unexplained loss of weight are some of the characteristics of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the two most prevalent forms of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes involves the situation in which it fails to produce insulin. It is prevalent among teenagers and adults before the age of 40 years. Ideally, diabetes type 1 is less prevalent than type 2 diabetes. It takes about 10% of all diabetic cases around the world. Type 1 diabetes patients need to take injections for the rest of their lives. Besides, they have to ensure proper blood-glucose levels through regular blood tests and an efficient diet (Xu et al., 2018). Conversely, in type 2 diabetes, the cells of the patients do not react to insulin (Reusch and Manson, 2017). Studies show that approximately 90% of diabetes cases are type 2. Patients need to engage in regular physical activity, follow a healthy diet, and monitor blood glucose levels.
Reasons for Diabetes Selection
The prevalence of diabetes is on the rise, especially in developing countries. It is the most common endocrine disorder that affects about 5%-10% of adults worldwide. Besides, it is one of the leading causes of death. The increasing rise of the condition prompted its selection.
The relevance of Diabetes to Nursing
Nurses have clear responsibilities for treating diabetes patients. There are workplace guidelines and responsibilities outlined for the profession. Nurses are at the forefront of supporting diabetes patients by helping them develop self-care. They can observe and report concerns about patients affecting their abilities to access self-care.
Diabetes is a catalyst for other conditions. Studies show that patients with diabetes are likely to become obese. Obesity is one of the chronic conditions whose increase is of concern among the healthcare personnel. Besides, there are co-morbid conditions such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease facilitated by diabetic conditions. Diagnosing and treating diabetes, therefore, ensures the prevention of other chronic conditions.
The prevalence of the disease has increased clinical trials. Typically, clinical trials allow for testing of medications before release to the general public. Researchers can compare and contrast blood glucose levels in patients and monitor organ functionality related to the medications. Consequently, new and efficient drugs have introduced that increase the effectiveness of diabetes treatment. Besides, working towards more comprehensive drugs will help improve the lifestyles of people with diabetes around the world. Therefore, increased clinical trials are relevant to nursing as it will facilitate efficiency within the profession.
Teaching Plan
Lead People
- Community Health Workers
- Diabetes Educators
Teaching is a community-based program that requires the efforts of Community Health Workers (CHWs). They use core skills and knowledge to provide the patients with the necessary care and support. Some of the skills provided to the patients include developing interpersonal relations and efficient communication that are integral in obtaining access to care. Besides, CHWs help patient acquires basic information and goal setting for healthy eating and appropriate physical activities. Also, they monitor the progress of the teaching plan and provide feedback to diabetes educators. Consequently, they help in the success of education programs about diabetes.
Diabetes educators (DEA) facilitates the integration of CHWs in the training program. This promotes the continuity of diabetes patients care. Ideally, the increasingly limited access to comprehensive self-care programs has ensured the increasing roles of DEA. Typically, they teach diabetes patients on self-management skills, using principles of teaching and learning.
Effective leadership improves the quality of care among diabetes patients. As nurses, developing interventions that lead to holistic care remains critical in the profession. Ideally, care for a patient lies in a respectful and therapeutic relationship between the healthcare worker and the patient (Williams, 2011). With the increasing numbers of diabetes patients and the rising costs of care, there is a need for good leadership to ensure training programs are productive. Good leadership will also ensure services are reviewed. During training, good leadership will ensure that a close partnership is formed between the patients and healthcare service providers. Consequently, there will be a fair apportioning of scarce resources, especially among older patients who may be unable to communicate for themselves.
A transformational leader inspires the team to have a shared vision, thus, motivating them to work towards attaining their goals. Most diabetes patients have limited access to healthcare services because of various reasons, such as financial constraints and ignorance. However, engaging in training will ensure the patients acquire the necessary knowledge on the need to adopt self-care. Self-care entails determination to access quality healthcare despite the underlying constraints. A good leader will, therefore, ensure the patients within the program are endowed with the skills and knowledge about the disease.
Transform Process
- Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME)
Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) remains essential in the training programs of people with diabetes and those at risk of contracting the disease. Engaging in DSME enables patients to have extensive knowledge about diabetes, acquire skills on self-monitoring, and positive lifestyles such as healthy eating and exercising. By so doing, patients will be able to underscore the risk factors and improve patient safety. Extensive knowledge about the disease will also ensure patients obtain access to quality healthcare. Also, the knowledge and skills obtained through training would help reduce treatment costs for individuals.
Health Information and Patient Care Technology
- Diabetes Digital App
The increasing rates of diabetes in the past three decades have seen the emergence of digital and wireless technology to address the problem. Digital apps can be used in insulin titration. Besides, some disseminate medical information that can be used by patients to diagnose, monitor, or treat the condition (Fleming et al., 2020). Ideally, digital apps help improve health outcomes and quality of life by educating people on good nutrition, glucose monitoring, and maintaining lifestyle modifications. Therefore, technological advancements in the field of medicine have significantly revolutionized the perception of diabetes among the patients and the community as a whole.
Health Policies
- Engaging in effective therapeutic and professional relationships.
- Evaluating outcomes to inform nursing practice
The State Board Nursing Practice codes and standards are essential in successful nursing practices. Engaging in an effective therapeutic and professional relationship promotes effective communication practices such as respect for a person’s dignity, rights, and beliefs. Adopting this code ensured efficient communication between diabetes educators and patients during the training program. Besides, evaluating outcomes ensured the expected goals and outcomes about the training were achieved by evaluating and monitoring the progress of the program.
Inter-professional Collaboration
- Encouraging participation in other departments’ training. There is a need for nurses to attend specific training sessions offered by other departments to increase insight into other roles in the profession.
- Keeping the focus on patients. The physicians’ priority is giving quality care, and this can only be achieved through inter-professional collaboration.
Patient awareness and literacy about diabetes can be improved by adopting a teaching plan. Creating a teaching plan will ensure effective communication, proper leadership, and efficient use of community resources towards combating diabetes. Evidently, diabetes remains one of the leading causes of deaths around the world. Consequently, there is increased awareness creation about the disease through different intervention methods. However, training diabetes patients can be more efficient as it involves direct involvement and transfer of skills and knowledge necessary for controlling the disease and reducing its impact. This intervention strategy creates room for further research to help revolutionize the perception of diabetic patients about the condition.
References
Nazar, C. M. J., Bojerenu, M. M., Safdar, M., & Marwat, J. (2016). Effectiveness of diabetes education and awareness of diabetes mellitus in combating diabetes in the United Kingdom; a literature review. Journal of nephropharmacology, 5(2), 110. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5297564/
Williams, J. (2011). Good leadership can improve diabetes care for older people with diabetes. Journal of Diabetes Nursing, 15(2), 69. https://www.woundsinternational.com/uploads/resources/dotn/_master/1211/files/pdf/jdn152pg69-72.pdf
Fleming, G. A., Petrie, J. R., Bergenstal, R. M., Holl, R. W., Peters, A. L., & Heinemann, L. (2020). Diabetes digital app technology: benefits, challenges, and recommendations. A consensus report by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Diabetes Technology Working Group. Diabetes care, 43(1), 250-260. https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/diacare/43/1/250.full.pdf
Reusch, J. E., & Manson, J. E. (2017). Management of type 2 diabetes in 2017: getting to the goal. Jama, 317(10), 1015-1016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5894353/
Xu, G., Liu, B., Sun, Y., Du, Y., Snetselaar, L. G., Hu, F. B., & Bao, W. (2018). Prevalence of diagnosed type 1 and type 2 diabetes among US adults in 2016 and 2017: a population-based study. Bmj, 362, k1497. https://www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k1497.long