Any Diabetic nurses out there?

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I have been a diabetic for 22 years and now on the insulin pump. I am a new nurse. I just want to know how others manage their diabetes and work as a nurse. I have found it to be very hard and challenging. I was hired to work on a women's unit, instead it is a catch all unit. I say this because they remodeled and made all private rooms(our unit is the only one in the hospital with private rooms). We have alot of nursing home patients as well as the ones that are not expected to live long. I work nights with one other nurse and maybe an aide if we are lucky. Anyway, this is killing my health. I am wondering if I should have become a nurse if this is how nursing is going to be. I love taking care of people but not at my health's expense. I know for a fact, medical surgical is not my cup of tea it never was in school. I need to find a job that will help me to heal again. I have worked hard to get my BSN degree and I am so hurt that my first job has been a disappointment.:o

Diabetes is a horrible disease in any form. That being said, it is every diabetics responsibility to take care of their disease to the best of their ability. It takes positive actions and decisions, exercise, diet, rest, and stress management to effectively deal with this disease. I know I deal with it everyday and I work. It is difficult for me to understand how nurses in more affluent areas with more employment opportunities, and easier educational access cannot find jobs to fit the needs of a diabetic. Sorry, I do not mean to sound uncaring but many of us who have worked for a long time with this problem find today's employers much more receptative than ever before. Good luck to those who plan to continue in nursing.

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Hey Bandcamp nurse,

I have been a type 1 diabetic for 16 years. I have run 3 marathons, tree planted, traveled through SE asia, and south america. The easiest thing I ever did was get through nursing school:) Anyways, diabetes means you have to eat healthy exercise and get lots of rest. You'll see it comes in handy for nursing. My nurse managers know that I have diabetes and it hasn't been a problem at work. If I feel my glucose level dropping, I just tell someone that I need a few minutes my glucose is low and I'll be back shortly. I never let it too low as to make a mistake or anying, just be responsible and you won't have any problems.

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:DI have type II DM and major munchie problems, probally stress related, anything that I can munch on thruout the day with out DM concerns

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Specializes in Oncology.
:DI have type II DM and major munchie problems, probally stress related, anything that I can munch on thruout the day with out DM concerns

Celery?

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I'm super comforted to know that there are other diabetic nurses out there. I have had good ol' Type I DM for 18 years (which makes me feel old) and have had the pump for 7 years (which makes me feel like I'm in a deeply committed relationship). I've been a nurse for almost two years...and I've spent all of that time in our 40 bed ICU. I get low at work....often, because I find it hard to stop all of my duties and take a moment, for myself, to eat (anyone else do this?). That said, how many of my coworkers know I'm diabetic? ALL of them, they've got my back! How many times has a coworker bailed me out from a particularly bad low...once! And according to our sweet action accucheck machine, that blood sugar was "less than 10", which is a personal best for me!

Sadistic diabetic humor aside, I am grateful for my pump. It helps with time management. Any area of floor nursing will serevely constrain the ability to eat in a 'diabetic friendly' manner/timeframe, this coupled with that darn nursing drive to provide patient care and accomplish task after task after task can make it VERY difficult to STOP and take 10 minutes for yourself now, so you don't seize later (something I hope NEVER to do at work).

On the whole, my A1C is sweet and stubborn at 6.0-6.4 (but 5.9 is sooooo close) and I have actually had better A1Cs since becoming a nurse (I'd like to think I'm getting more exercise too). I DO have to tell myself to stop and eat, stop and eat on busy days and I have also coached all workers to never ask me directly, "Are you low"? C'mon, who out there automatically says 'NO'! when you are, in fact, low and asked this. I'd like to think that IF I loose myself in a hypoglycemic haze both my patients and myself are cared for b/c of my fellow nurses, I have never once felt like the odd person out b/c of diabetes. I also think that being a diabetic nurse makes you more accutely aware of this illness, which has got to be good in terms of management.

I do not feel that diabetes effects my ability to nurse, and provide good care, on a day to day basis, I'm going to do my job one way or another and if I am low, someone else will watch my patients while I take care of myself (and by my 'watcher' a thank-you soda). And I am curious to know...does anyone else get low at work???

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all time lowes only happen to me at work. If not for the running around of being an LPN I'd probally never get the chance to drink OJ.:yeah:

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I'm so glad to hear from other Type 1 Diabetics about their experience in the field. I'm doing prereq's for nursing school, am starting a CNA course next week, and keep thinking about my diabetes in this all. It's funny b/c I'm doing a desk job now, which I hate... but one of the benefits, I have to admit, is that I can test anytime I feel like it, etc.

Anyway, I'm NOT on the pump. I use the pen for my short acting throughout the day. Does anyone else? Or does anyone see a problem with nursing and not having a pump? I test really frequently too, and worry some about infection. Has that been a problem? Or even just the lowered immune response - anyone feel like they get sick more often than their coworkers?

I really appreciate this community - it's been something of an anchor for me through this all...!

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Also, snackcake - 10?! I thought my one-time 17 reading was low...!

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you know when your blood sugar is low watch for your signs& symptoms ....so just carry your glucose tabs, or even better, as my Phamacology teacher told us.........carry a small tube of cake decorators icing, found in the baking isle of all supermarkets. ........ Place in buccal cavity and there you go.

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care, OB/GYN, Peds,.

I have also found the felxibility doing Hospice to manage meals, meds and doc appts. Of course it may be because of the agency that I work for being so understanding and concerned for their staff. Sometimes I have had to eat in the car from one patient to another, but I can take snacks and food in a cooler in the car and grab as I need to. I am currently on oral meds because the two insulins we tried caused me to itch like crazy, I have a lot of drug allergies. Anyway try homecare( home health or hospice) as an alternative to hospital nursing. The 8 hour shifts may be a better option for you. Good luck.:heartbeat

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I'm super comforted to know that there are other diabetic nurses out there. I have had good ol' Type I DM for 18 years (which makes me feel old) and have had the pump for 7 years (which makes me feel like I'm in a deeply committed relationship). I've been a nurse for almost two years...and I've spent all of that time in our 40 bed ICU. I get low at work....often, because I find it hard to stop all of my duties and take a moment, for myself, to eat (anyone else do this?). That said, how many of my coworkers know I'm diabetic? ALL of them, they've got my back! How many times has a coworker bailed me out from a particularly bad low...once! And according to our sweet action accucheck machine, that blood sugar was "less than 10", which is a personal best for me!

Sadistic diabetic humor aside, I am grateful for my pump. It helps with time management. Any area of floor nursing will serevely constrain the ability to eat in a 'diabetic friendly' manner/timeframe, this coupled with that darn nursing drive to provide patient care and accomplish task after task after task can make it VERY difficult to STOP and take 10 minutes for yourself now, so you don't seize later (something I hope NEVER to do at work).

On the whole, my A1C is sweet and stubborn at 6.0-6.4 (but 5.9 is sooooo close) and I have actually had better A1Cs since becoming a nurse (I'd like to think I'm getting more exercise too). I DO have to tell myself to stop and eat, stop and eat on busy days and I have also coached all workers to never ask me directly, "Are you low"? C'mon, who out there automatically says 'NO'! when you are, in fact, low and asked this. I'd like to think that IF I loose myself in a hypoglycemic haze both my patients and myself are cared for b/c of my fellow nurses, I have never once felt like the odd person out b/c of diabetes. I also think that being a diabetic nurse makes you more accutely aware of this illness, which has got to be good in terms of management.

I do not feel that diabetes effects my ability to nurse, and provide good care, on a day to day basis, I'm going to do my job one way or another and if I am low, someone else will watch my patients while I take care of myself (and by my 'watcher' a thank-you soda). And I am curious to know...does anyone else get low at work???

I happen to love your sadistic diabetic humor :) I am coming up on my 20 year anniversary. I start nursing school next spring and have never once thought it would hinder me. I know I am going to have to eat breakfast in the car on the way to early morning clinicals, but I will make sure I get those important meals down. I know I will need to adjust my pump and carry glucose tablets. Its all about accepting what you are given and making the best out of the situation. Diabetes is afterall the reason I decided to pursue this career. Being in the hospital over the last twenty years has made me aware of what a pertinent role nurses have along with what it takes to be a good nurse. :)

BTW 10? I thought my personal best at 15 was bad (and I had a seizure that time). I cant believe you hadnt seized yet.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

My A1C was 8 when I was diagnosed with Type II last spring. It's now 5.8 and I got to come off Metformin at my last visit. With me, diet is everything---I feel lousy if I eat sweets (good-bye doughnuts and candy) or large amounts of refined whites (so long, mashed potatoes and pasta). I'm OK when I stick with protein, fruits, veggies and fiber, and I can have occasional treats in small amounts. But every now and again, I overdo it and the results are almost instantaneous and universally unpleasant---blood sugar spikes and crashes, feeling shaky and nauseated, headaches, and all I want to do is take a nap. No bueno.

I honestly don't believe I could do hospital nursing with DM. The breaks don't happen, you're lucky if you get to pee once in a 12-hour shift, and meals are always problematic. My blood-sugar crashes happen when I'm rushing around and don't get a chance to have some protein and complex carbohydrates before my BS falls; when I crash, it happens FAST and it takes a while to recover, then I feel crappy for the rest of the day. So avoiding those crashes in the first place is crucial!

You are probably a lot younger than I, so you'll probably do much better. I wish you all the luck in the world, you will undoubtedly be a better nurse for the experience of dealing with a chronic illness. :):hug:

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