Effective education within the nursing practice is mandatory as it provides nurses with the theoretical and practical opportunities to develop their skills. The healthcare profession provides individuals with a continuous learning experience that is focused on allowing professionals to form collaborative relationships that enhances the quality of service and care provided for clients. Clinical education is used as a reliable educational tool that is aligned with the current healthcare setting of the student, and allows them to be enlightened about the patients’ clinical disorders. Therefore, a patient-care based teaching plan is an important tool that is used in ensuring that nurses achieve the best outcomes when treating clients. This paper will focus on the teaching plan for a female patient that has been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type-1.
Teaching Plan for a Patient-care with Diabetes Mellitus Type 1
Diabetes mellitus is an epidemic disease that affects individuals whose blood glucose level has gone up due to a significant decrease in the insulin production in the body. According to American Diabetes Association (2015), there are two categories of diabetes mellitus; type 1 is the insulin reliant on diabetes and type 2 is the non-insulin reliant on diabetes. It is important for a nurse to understand the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus type 1 in order to treat a patient. Diabetes mellitus type 1 develops in the body when the autoimmune facilitates the damaging of B-cells that are responsible for the production of insulin within the pancreas. When the pancreatic cells are destroyed, a person experiences insulin deficiency, which leads to the increased production of glucose and glycosuria. Unlike patients with diabetes type 2, those with type one are able to exhibit the signs and symptoms of the disease. Diabetes type 2 is asymptomatic and those with this disease are often unaware.
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Symptoms of diabetes mellitus type 1 include changes in glucagon synthesis, unusual insulin production and insulin resistance. An increase in blood glucose in the body is reinforced by the limited amounts of insulin that is transported into the blood cells for energy synthesis. Insulin production is enhanced by the high levels of glucose; thus, patients that have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 1 often produce excess insulin (American Diabetes Association, 2015). In addition to this, patients may develop polyuria whereby the kidney is overworked during glucose filtration thus the reabsorption mechanism is slowed. Patients may also exhibit signs of fatigue. Untreated diabetes may lead to further health complications such as blurred vision, nephropathy, high risk of foot ulcer, renal failure and cardiovascular symptoms.
The behavioral objectives for this teaching plan for patient-care with diabetes mellitus type 1 is to assist the patient in understanding the different types of diabetic medication and how they can be used. Therefore, the nurse will demonstrate to the patient how to use a glucose meter when performing a self-monitoring exam for blood glucose. Secondly, the patient should be able to care for their skin and foot as well as identify the health benefits of partaking in regular exercises as a medical strategy to manage the blood glucose levels.
The nurse is responsible for providing quality healthcare services that will enable the patient to manage their health condition while at home. Therefore, the nurse must provide extensive assessment and propose effective intervention approaches for patients with diabetes mellitus type 1. According to Reynolds & Genuth (2018), the nurse is perceived as a professional who is knowledgeable about the patient’s clinical status; thus, by conducting a medical assessment, the nurse will be able to develop an appropriate medical plan to assist the patient in managing their condition through optimal care. Furthermore, the nurse must have a clear understanding of the patient’s current and past medical status by analyzing their medical history, conducting a physical assessment and evaluating their behavioral status. Kahanovitz et al. (2017) affirm that it is also crucial to examine other factors that may threaten the patient’s health such as their immediate surroundings, nutrition, daily activities and their knowledge about medication. The nurse must also assess the factors that may influence the glycemic control such as age-related altercations which may interfere with their physiological functioning; malnutrition intake may be affected by the loss of taste and olfactory performance, which may lead to irregular metabolism and blood glucose control. Additionally, a patient may experience dehydration which may occur as a result of loss of thirst perception that is influenced by the age-factor.
Patients should be provided with an elaborate list of the signs and symptoms of diabetes and the appropriate actions that one should take in each step. According to Reynolds & Genuth (2018), the nurse is expected to evaluate the patient’s condition carefully in order to inform the patient about their medical condition. The nurse must evaluate the patient and check any signs of neuropathies since it heightens the risk of falling and contracting infections. Consequently, assessments on visual deficits and retinopathy must be conducted to determine whether the patient is at risk of incorrectly taking their medication which will impede their ability to perform proper blood glucose tests. Through these assessments, the nurse will be able to ensure that the patient understands how to use all the medications and comply with the instructions provided.
The nurse must identify and investigate whether the patient presents any form of complication, and provide optimal intervention to prevent them from contracting life-threatening health conditions. For instance, if the patient has diabetic foot, the nurse must assess the wound and educate the patient on how dressing should be done and observe if there are any complications. Besides, the nurse must do precise documentation of the patient’s progress to ensure that their needs are correctly addressed.
Conclusion
Diabetes mellitus type 1 needs consistent self-care behaviors; thus, the nurse is responsible for teaching the patient on the effective approaches of managing the symptoms. The patient must learn how to control the physical and emotional stress that may negatively impact the glycemic management. Therefore, the nurse must impart the patient with the relevant skills and knowledge that will assist them in preventing unstable blood glucose in the body.
References
American Diabetes Association. (2015). Standards of medical care in diabetes—2015 abridged for primary care providers. Clinical diabetes: a publication of the American Diabetes Association , 33 (2), 97.
Kahanovitz, L., Sluss, P. M., & Russell, S. J. (2017). Type 1 Diabetes - A Clinical Perspective. Point of care , 16 (1), 37–40. doi:10.1097/POC.0000000000000125
Reynolds, L. & Genuth, S. (2018). The Role of Diabetes Care and Its Contributions to the Field of Diabetes: A Profile in Progress. Diabetes Care ; 41 (2) 241-249; DOI: 10.2337/dci17-0021
