Diabetes for Dummies

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Mar 27, 2016

It's for people newly diagnosed with diabetes to give them a basic understanding of their disease. I would not think it would be helpful for a student as it dumbs it down too much. Thus the title of the book.

There is a lot to learn about the disease process itself. You just need to break it down and learn it one step at a time.

Larry2016 · Mar 27, 2016

I was diagnosed with diabetes without no knowledge of what it is my first semester in nursing school with no knowledge of how it works. Then 2 weeks later we reached the topic in pathology class.

I had a really good dietitian certified diabetes educator who shared with me how she teaches patients on this subject. I'll share the basics with you.

She draws a circle in the middle of a sheet of paper and she asks, "what is diabetes about?" She gets the typical answers...blood sugar, eating right, etc... she then writes the parents first name in the circle and sats, "It's about you and taking control of your life."

She then draws a horizontal lines down the middle of the page and a vertical line across the middle of the page, but not through the patients name, dividing it into 4 quadrants.

"Even though this is about you, you have some help along the way."

In the first quadrant (top left), she puts down doctors, who is responsible for ordering tests, medications, and so forth. She tells the patient to think of the doctor as your employee...if you feel like the doctor is not helping you through it, get another one.

The second quadrant she calls meal planning and that is where the disease process is explained ... and she tells patients the disease is not about what you eat, but how much and when you eat. She also explains how the pancreas is,on 3 to 5 hour timer and why the "when" you eat is so important ( remember that the disease process advances to neuropathy, which can include not being able to feel hungry).

The third quadrant she calls active movement (because people hate the term exercise) here she explains,how exercise does,not require insulin to uptake glucose into the ells and how this works,on a cellular level (in layman's terms).

The fourth quadrant is set aside for stress. Stress has an extreme impact on diabetics because of the cortisol release.

Some pointers when,using this model:

1. Assess education level. You have to tailor it based on how the patient understands. If your patient is another nurse or even a physician, you can use medical jargon. If they are low,on health literacy, you want to educate at their level without talking down to them as well.

2. Don't tell them which is in each quadrant. Ask them if they might know what each one is. Make it a dialogue...remember, diabetes is ultimately about the individual with,help to reach A1C goals :)

3. You can also always find sources on ADA. I also have some really good nursing pathology notes about it....but remember it is all medical jargon and have to tailor it to the patients level.

4. Think about this too: people with diabetes ... once they are new diagnosed....most of the patients think it is,a death,sentence. You need to explain to them it is,a silent, gradual disease...and people do not die from diabetes, they die from complications secondary to "nutritional deficit: more than body requirements" :) e x plain to them this is,a gradual disorder (it technically is not a disease) and can be controlled to prevent major complications.

Hope that helps somewhat

Larry2016 · Mar 27, 2016

PS: tell them the complications that can happen but stress MAINLY if diabetes,goes uncontrolled (ex: CHF followed by renal failure due to vicious blood flow is the most common complications which may lead to dialysis).