Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Learning Style Theories for the Course for Second Year Nursing Students - Essay Example

Teaching Plan Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Teaching Plan Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus has become very prevalent in Australia: About 900,000 people have it. It is more common and affects about 90% of the Australians with diabetes (BUPA, 2011). Nurses are expected to offer care for persons living with this diabetes in various areas. Their interventions are linked to improvement in self-management behaviors, diabetes knowledge, as well as psychological and physiologic outcomes (Hunt, 2013). New nurses are expected to use interventions that help individuals living with type 2 diabetes manage it and positively influence their health outcomes. The aim of this teaching plan is to help nurses have a good understanding of the causes, as well as the treatment of this chronic disease. The students will demonstrate an understanding of the pharmacological content and develop health-eating plans for patients with the disease. The students will be second year nursing students. They are field dependent learners, and hence, view new learning holistically and globally. They favor interactive learning methods. At the end of the teaching session, the learners will be able to: Describe the pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes Identify the risk factors, signs, and symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes Identify the treatment for Type 2 Diabetes, including diet, medication and self-monitoring of blood sugar Identify medications to use for symptom controls for Type 2 diabetes Understand how to integrate new healthy regimens into the patients’ lifestyle such as a healthy diet To understand how to manage and prevent complication such as macro-and micro-vascular complications To relieve the disease symptoms or handle disease-related exacerbations and emergencies Caring is preeminently demonstrated by the nurse’s aptitude to exemplify the five important values of proficient nursing. The key nursing value fundamental to baccalaureate education include social justice, altruism, autonomy, integrity, as well as human dignity (Fahrenwald, Bassett, & Tschetter et al., 2005). Educating the learners will not just entail passing information; however, it will be a holistic, dynamic, and planned care based on patient’s needs (patient-centered approach). In addition, education will promote modification of health-related behavior and self-management. Diabetes education should be underpinned after its completion and improve thorough comprehension of the importance of check-up as well as follow-up. One of the most suitable learning style theory for this group is the experiential learning theory (ELT) developed by David Kolb in 1984. Kolb studied the way perceive and process information (Jones, Reichard, & Mokhtari, 2003). He developed a learning styles theory in which he proposed that learning occurs as an experiential learning cycle (ELC) whereby learning takes place as a transformation process through experience (Kolb, 1984). The theory focuses on ways that learners prefer to grasp as well as transform experiences. Learners are classified in this theory as acquiring knowledge through concrete experiences (apprehension) or abstract conceptualization (comprehension). The ways that the learners transform knowledge is either active experimentation (active) or reflective observation (reflective). Kolb (1976) described learners as convergers, accommodators, assimilators, and divergers. Convegers tend to highly pragmatic, logical, and able to transform information to new solutions or ideas to problems. Accommodators grasp new information through their feelings and are highly action oriented. They enjoy taking risks and exploring new environments and ideas. Assimilators are systematic, focused learners who use logic, as well as inductive reasoning, to organize new information. Divergers have the capacity to synthesize diverse observations and opinions. They are imaginative, intuitive, and creative and are people oriented. As a result, the learning and teaching strategies should be matched as possible. They will thus be provided with sufficient opportunities to experience alternative approaches to learning and teaching. The experiential theory is applicable in this case as the learners will be offered an experience of people suffering from Type 2 diabetes and will be encouraged to reflect upon that experience. The students will experience Type II diabetes and some of its symptoms (concrete experience). It will be followed by a phase of reflective observation, where the educator will ask guiding questions such as: what do you notice about the client ability to focus clearly?; has the diseases affected the body ability to resist and heal infections?; are the patches of velvety and dark skin in the creases and folds of the patient neck and armpits as a sign of insulin resistance? Once the learners are able to recognize the clinical inferences, they are ready for abstract conceptualization. The educator may, for example, ask what might happen to the infections if they are not properly cared for by addressing their root cause? How could you prevent this? It should encourage the learners to develop hypotheses about the future course of Type 2 diabetes. In this case, stage four-active experimentation-may be preceded by active learning. The students can consult their textbooks to find out about the pathology, physiology, and precautionary measures. In experiential learning, learners are actively involved in an experience or activity that should lead to learning (Jensen & Kolb, 2000). It is in contrast to the other traditional learning or teaching strategies that require the learners to remain passive in relation to an active teacher who dispenses knowledge. For meaningful learning to take place, the learners have to experience the situation personally and holistically. New experience also has to be integrated with old experience for meaningful learning to take place. Importance of this placed on the incorporation of novel experiences with past experiences through the reflection process (Kolb, 1984; Burnard, 1985) or on making a conscious decision to notice what is happening and study what is happening. By reflecting upon the experience, the learners will be able to grasp its meaning and its potential for future use or practice. The knowledge also has to be transformed into a usable tool in order to bring about meaningful learning. The learners have to analyze the ideas they obtain by reflection, come to conclusions, and form concepts. The experiential teaching strategies will include role-play, small-group discussion, structured group activities, icebreaker activities, and problem-solving activities. In addition, exercises that involve reflection on the present or past experiences, guided imagery, and field visits. Skinner positive reinforcement theory will also suit the learners. Skinner (1974) argued that learning takes place when individuals are motivated by the potential reward of the avoidance of punishment, by reinforcement offered by the teachers. In this case, learning will result from the rewards of getting good grades. Positive reinforcement strengthens a behavior by offering a consequence an individual finds rewarding (Oermann, 2013). Under experiential learning, learners transform knowledge through active experimentation and reflection. Experience will the beginning of the learning cycle and will be achieved using a case study approach. The case study will be of a patient admitted in a hospital with a severe case of Type II diabetes. A brainstorming exercise will follow and will encourage the learners to contribute many ideas as possible on Type 2 diabetes. It will allow participation by all members and allow freedom of expression. It will also serve to motivate the students about the topic. Lectures on the subject will be offered and will be combined with audio-visual aids like films, and exhibits. In learning aspects of clinical care, experience will be arranged in the clinical setting. Brainstorming will enable the learners to gain insight, and knowledge towards Type 2 diabetes. To help the learners gain insight into the practical difficulties experienced by people suffering from type 2 diabetes, fieldwork sessions will be used. The students will visit people suffering from the disease in the home setting and in elderly care settings. The entire experiential cycle has to be completed for effective learning to take place (Lisko & O’Dell, 2010). A systematic process of reflection will follow this exposure to the selected experiences. Group sessions will be held for the individuals who took part in the experience to share with other learners what they saw and felt during the activity. It makes available to the group the experience of every individual and will service to broaden and deepen perception. The new perspectives on experiences or changes in behaviors will be applied and tested in new practical situation. Rose and Best (2005) noted that Kolb’s learning-teaching cycle allows movement in the reverse direction and accepts that learning can begin at any point of the cycle. In line with positive reinforcement theory, students who attain good grades will increase their chances of getting a scholarship. The teaching session will be 1-2 hrs long and will include brainstorming sessions, videos of people suffering from type II diabetes, and a visit to the hospital. The learners will be expected to actively engage in the session. At the end of the lesson, the learners will be able to demonstrate essential knowledge, support and resources, and life skills required by individuals with Type 2 to attain optimal health. Educated patients are usually able to influence the disease outcomes positively. Through education, the learners will be able to optimize metabolic control including medicine administration, dietary practices, and self-monitoring of urine or blood glucose (Steinsbekk, Rygg & Lisulo et al., 2012; Seung-Hyun, Sin-Ae, & Jae-Hyoung et al., 2011). A formative assessment will be used to test the learners knowledge on Type 2 diabetes causes, management, and control. Formative assessment provides continuous and comprehensive feedback to learners about their performance with the aim of improving and motivating both clinical teaching and learning (Roberts, Gustavs, & Mack, 2012). The assessment will offer insight into the learner level of understanding about the disease; it will identify areas where they understand and those that they do not. It will assist the teacher to address the areas that they do not in order to further improve their knowledge and experience on Type 2 diabetes. References BUPA (2011). Type 2 Diabetes. Retrieved from http://www.bupa.com.au/health-and- wellness/health-information/az-health-information/type-2-diabetes Burnard, P. (1985). Learning Human skills- a Guide for Nurses. Oxford; Heinemann. Fahrenwald, N., Bassett, S., Tschetter, L., Carson, P., White, L. & Winterboer, V. (2005). Teaching Core Nursing Values. Journal of Professional Nursing, 21(1), 46-51 Hunt, C. (2013). Self-care management strategies among individuals living with type 2 diabetes mellitus: nursing interventions. Nursing: Research and Reviews, 3, 99-105 Jones, C., Reichard, C., & Mokhtari, K. (2003). Are students’ learning styles discipline specific? Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 27(2), 363-375. Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall Kolb, D. (1976). The Learning Style Inventory: Technical Manual. Boston, Ma.: McBer Lisko, S., & O’Dell, V. (2010). Integration of Theory and Practice: Experiential Learning Theory and Nursing Education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 31(2), 106-108 Oermann, M. (2013). Teaching in nursing and role of the educator: The complete guide to best practice in teaching, evaluation, and curriculum development. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC. Roberts, T., Gustavs, J., & Mack, H. (2012). Becoming an Expert: A Review of Adult Learning Theory and Implications for Vocational Training in Ophthalmology. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, 40(5), 519-526. Rose, M., & Best, D. (2005). Transforming practice through clinical education, professional supervision and mentoring. Elsevier/Churchill Livingston, Sydney. Skinner, B. (1974). About behaviorism. New York: Knopf. Seung-Hyun, K., Sin-Ae, P., Jae-Hyoung, C., Sun-Hye, K., Kyung-Mi, S., & Seung-Hwan, L., et al. (2012). Influence of the Duration of Diabetes on the Outcome of a Diabetes Self Management Education Program. Diabetes Metab J., 36(3), 222-229. Steinsbekk, A., Rygg, L., Lisulo, M., Rise, M. & Fretheim, A. (2012). Group based diabetes self- management education compared to routine treatment for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A systematic review with meta-analysis. BMC Health Services Research, 12, 213. Read More