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.
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