A Day in the Life of a Diabetes Nurse

As a diabetes nurse, you have an individual responsibility to take care of those who have this disease. The care you provide is specialized to ensure that your patients have everything they need. The daily activities that you have to complete are slightly different than the average nurse.

Diabetes nurses work across the spectrum of care for diabetes patients, whether they are in primary care or in hospitals. There is care planning that nurses go over with diabetics and their families or carers. Also, the development of personal management strategies helps to promote self-management and identify goals.

Diabetes nurses provide guidance and support to their colleagues for larger healthcare teams. The unique role of a diabetes specialist nurse is versatile and challenging. Their presence is vital to the treatment of diabetes.

With the additional assistance and knowledge, diabetes patients can receive better and more specialized care. The personalized treatment of patients is always appreciated and will be remembered even by the family members of the patients.

Differences Between Practice Nurse and Diabetes Specialist Nurses

● Practice Nurses

o 10-minute appointments

o Diabetes education

o Yearly reviews of patient progress

o Medication advising

● Diabetes Specialist Nurses

o 30-minute appointments

o Diabetes education and management

o Supporting patients, their carers, and multidisciplinary team

o Manage complex cases that require more attention and specialized care

o Take referrals for emergencies

The daily life of a diabetes nurse is relatively straightforward. You either work at your office or make house calls to those who need them. Here is a rundown of the daily activities that might be involved with being a diabetes nurse.

● Typically, a day lasts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but hours can vary widely. If there is an emergency, a diabetes nurse may have different roles. They can treat about 50 patients in person and over the phone, resulting in up to 100 patients a day.

● Clinic Work

o See patients every 30 minutes to talk about their individual needs

▪ Medication management

▪ Insulin advising according to food eaten

● Insulin is dosed according to how many carbs and what kinds of food is being consumed regularly.

o Emergencies

▪ Manage telephone calls, telephone clinics, assess walk-ins, emergency referrals, and help doctors by being the first contact that any query is met with.

● Home Visits

o During home visits, a diabetes nurse will go to patients at their homes to assess their condition and treat them accordingly. After putting a diabetes plan in place with their carers and general practitioner, they are available for more guidance and even end of life care.

Related: The International Nurses Association Launches Nurse Advisor Magazine’s New Online Forum

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