As a corrections nurse...

FutureCRNA?, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2014

I know this is slightly off topic, but as a person having had diabetes for 21 years, I would be highly offended at a co-worker attempting to educate me on my diabetes. With the possible exception of diabetes educators, I find nurses to be blissfully unaware of their lack of knowledge & what they think they know seems to be erroneous. I see examples of it almost every day I work.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Apr 26, 2014

Is this a homework assignment?

SteveDE · May 4, 2014

NO, its a fact finding assignment, I'm well past the homework years.

SteveDE · May 4, 2014

FutureCRNA, nurses and most medical personnel are often unaware of proper diabetes knowledge, however, I enjoy being a diabetes educator in a number of avenues, such as staff education, since most staff have to deal with more than diabetes issues, I can help them learn specifically about diabetes.

My post dealt with the correctional system, while I realize there are nurses working in prisons, who do you think might be the majority of staff in a prison? Why do think those staff members may need help in learning about diabetes?

I strongly believe there is a lack of proper diabetes knowledge/education in the prison system that creates higher than needed healthcare costs, due to a lack of diabetes knowledge on the part of staff in a prison system (I.E. correction officers that are trained to be correction officers) aren't able to recognize warning signs of diabetes that could lead to violence. (have you ever seen someone in DKA and how violent they can get?, I have, mix that in with someone that may already have violent tendencies such as an inmate and it can quickly create a serious situation, but if caught earlier, it could prevent or limit serious DKA.) Since I was speaking about the corrections system, I think that corrections officers could certainly be in need of diabetes education so they can be aware of warning signs with inmates, but also be able to manage their own diabetes more efficiently so they miss less work/help decrease overtime costs, concentrate better at work/increase safety, and reduce their own healthcare costs, along with being healthier and enjoying their life.

Now, this may be off topic, but I've had people (educated people) sitting in my class that have been diagnosed with diabetes for 1 week, 10 years, 20 years, and even 30 years. There are usually 2 things they have in common. One is that they all have diabetes. The second is that all of them know about as much as each other about diabetes, which is very, very little until they leave our class. So, just because you have had diabetes for 21 years, doesn't mean you know everything or that you should be offended when someone tries to educate you on diabetes, if they know what they are talking about.

FutureCRNA?, BSN, RN · May 5, 2014

I didn't mean I would be offended at someone educating me, period. I said I would be offended if a CO-WORKER tried to educate me. It's none of their business and I find that offensive. And as I said, most of the nurses I know working the floor have misconceptions. Hence, I don't want them trying to tell me how to manage my disease. I educate myself on a consistent basis.