Living with and Understanding Diabetes - Coursework Example

Section/# Living with and Understanding Diabetes For purposes of the interview process, I selected an individual that resided within my grandmothers community. The interview itself took place within her home and provided this student a unique opportunity to understand the determinants of health that impacted upon her diabetes and the way in which she understood it. The interviewee, denoted throughout this essay as PA, had been on diabetes medication and under the care of a physician for this condition for over 20 years. As such, she understood the importance of her medicine and the gravity of diabetes but was virtually unaware of the way in which her lifestyle and choices impacted upon the disease or could potentially make it better. Because of this, I determined that the patient could be categorized alongside Lewis et al. (2007) specification of: insufficient therapeutic regimen management related to ‘insufficient knowledge as evidenced by inaccurate statements regarding diabetes management’”. Therefore the goal of the teaching was to provide the patient with a more full and complete understanding his her regimines and the means by which they could be correctly applied within her own life as a means of effecting better health, a great chance at longevity, and an increased quality of life. The overall characteristics of the patient were the first things that this student noted. As such, PA was overweight, had experienced the recent loss of both of her siblings to complications arising from diabetes (both prior to the age of 70), had poor overall health, ate mostly ready made or pre-packaged foods, and lived a largely sedentary lifestyle (with little to no exercise), However, more specifically, I came to determine that PA was mostly unaware of the importance of testing her blood sugar on a regular basis, recording these numbers, and addressing them based upon the insulin that her doctors had prescribed her. For instance, when questioned, PA noted that she only checked her insulin when she felt especially bad. Because of this, the need to address these numbers was of vital importance and would likely have been reduced greatly had so created a frame of reference and key metrics through which her blood sugar dropped to such low levels or skyrocketed to an unreasonably high level (Klompas et al., 2013). Even though the patient understood the importance and need to take her oral diabetes medication regularly, the additional focus on testing blood sugar levels, tracking these, and administering pharmaceutical intervention to protect the body against either hyperglycemia and/or hypoglycemia was something that she completely overlooked. As a direct result of these shortcomings, the teaching component of my visit came to be something that needed to be focused on the way in which I could encourage the patient to understand the gravity and importance of regularly testing and understanding the process involved. Firstly, with respect to her testing habits, I encouraged the patient to keep a journal as a means of tracking the dates and times of her blood sugar analysis. In this way, I encouraged her that she would be able to keep track of when she was doing it and what the results were able to tell her concerning a broader trend of diabetic health; one that could potentially assist her in better addressing her health condition in the coming months and years. Additionally, with respect to teaching the patient, it was also understood that a thorough review of how the finger should be pierced and how blood should be obtained required a complete review; due in part to the fact that the patient complained that one of the reasons she did not regularly test herself was due to the fact that it was so difficult and painful for her to draw blood without punctuing several of her fingers multiple times. Accordingly, the second element of teaching that was employed regarded the need to warm the hands prior to testing the blood by puncturing the finger tips. As such, I encouraged her to consider warming her hands under warm water for several minutes as a means of drawing the blood closer to the skin prior to using the pen to prick her finger. Moreover, with respect to the pain that this process caused her, I encouraged her to stick the side of her finger; rather than the finger pad in the center. The underlying reason for this had to do with the fact that there are far fewer nerves on the edge of the finger pad as compared to the center of the finger pad; moreover, the skin is relatively softer there and the ease of drawing blood is much better. Further elements of education that were provided to PA included the need of understrand the difference between hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Moreover, I focused on the ways that her insulin medication, provided to her by her physicians, was instrumental in treating the fatigue or poor health she faced as a result of either very high or very low blood sugar levels. However, of all the elements that were discussed with her, it is my understanding that the need to live a more active lifestyle and work to change her habits of viewing such a large amount of TV, or consuming such unhealthful foods, was the most important of all. Ultimately, the patient was on a fast track to extremely poor health; even potential death. As a result of seeing this and viewing some of the determinants that made this so, I encouraged her to live a more active life and engage in regular exercise; as long as this was approved and recommended by her healthcare providers as well (Fradkin & Rogers, 2013). She indicated that the healthcare providers had mentioned the same need but that the had not explained the results that such a change could have on her overall outlook and prognosis. Accordingly, I explained the way in which metabolism levels and diabetes are two interconnected parts of the same biological proceses. Additionally, understanding the role that the care of the extremeties has on diabetic counseling and health, I inquired as to how she took care of her feet. PA indicated that she did not spend a lot of time caring her her feet. As such, I demonstrated the correct way in which adequate foot care can be provided; showing her the need to bathe them regularly in warm water and apply liberal amounts of lotion after toweling dry. Finally, as I noted that she did not have a medical ID bracelet, I encouraged her to get one (Dumont & Driscol, 2012). I explained the underlying reason for this was predicated on the fact that should she go into a diabetic coma, the medical professionals that would be responding to her condition could rapidly understand that she was diabetic and treat her accordingly. In this way, I further explained and counseled that the time that this could save medical professionals in seeking to understand why prompted her to become catatonic could very likely save her life. After thanking me for my advice, she agreed to allowing a follow-up visit in the following week. The importance of patient teaching is predicated on the fact that addressing the disease itself is oftentimes not enough. The patient needs to know why and how. I further understood that one of the main reasons for why she never engaged with the information that the medical professionals had provided her was due to the medical jargon that they used to explain the situations that they dealt with on a daily basis. Because of this, medical jargon is one of the biggest impediments towards adequately explaining to diabetics the medical needs associated with their particular condition. Insulin, blood sugar, diabetic testing, and the effects of inaction are all lost on the patient who is oftentimes just trying to digest what the information that is being presented to them means as well as the likely effect it can have on their overall health and well-being. Instead of overwhelming patients with a barrage of medical jargon, medical professionals should be fully aware of the fact that individual patients must be met where they are. As such, medical professionals should not take a “one size fits all” approach towards explaining diabetes and its proper treatments to their patients; instead, the disease must be explained and detailed based on the overall understanding that each patient is able to grasp. Another issue that presents itself in treating diabetes is an exceedingly involved process which encompasses the treatment. Such treatments include but are not limited to constant testing, dietary changes, patient determination, and the support of family and friends. As such, when a patient is not fully impressed with the severity of the disease or the effects that inaction has on their overall prognosis, they are increasingly unlikely to follow the directives of medical professionals. Furthermore, it is a disease that more often than not afflicts the patient for the remainder of their lives. As such, it requires a determination to monitor and treat the symptoms rather than perform a few treatments and receive an outright cure. Unfortunately, patient mindset is often geared towards performing a few prescribed changes for a short period of time and then realizing a quick result. Because this is not the case with diabetes, it is one of the diseases that has a high risk of being ignored by the patient. As such, it is the job of the medical professional to firmly and consistently remind those afflicted with diabetes that it is an absolute necessity that they monitor their body and work to maintain a healthy diet in order to continue to regulate the effects of the disease. Bibliography Dumont-Driscoll, M 2012, Type 1 diabetes: current concepts in epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical care, and research. Foreword, Current Problems In Pediatric And Adolescent Health Care, 42, 10, pp. 267-268, MEDLINE, EBSCOhost, viewed 18 March 2014. Fradkin, J, & Rodgers, G 2013, Diabetes research: a perspective from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Diabetes, 62, 2, pp. 320-326, MEDLINE, EBSCOhost, viewed 18 March 2014. Klompas, M, Eggleston, E, McVetta, J, Lazarus, R, Li, L, & Platt, R 2013, Automated detection and classification of type 1 versus type 2 diabetes using electronic health record data, Diabetes Care, 36, 4, pp. 914-921, CINAHL, EBSCOhost, viewed 18 March 2014. Lewis, S Heitkemper, M Dirksen, S Obrien, P & Buchler, L 2007, Medical-Surgical Nursing (7 ed). St Louis, Missouri: Mosby-Elsevier. Read More