In the United States, 25.6 million adults age 20 years or older have diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2011). If not properly treated and managed, these millions of diabetic patients are at risk for several alterations including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, neuropathy, and blindness. Proper treatment and management is the key for diabetic patients, and as the advanced practice nurse providing care for these patients, it is your responsibility to facilitate this process. Patient education is critical, as is working with patients to establish a regular pattern for daily activities such as eating and taking medications. When developing care plans for patients, you must keep the projected outcomes of treatment in mind, as well as patient preferences and other factors that might impact adherence to treatment and management plans. In this Discussion, you draw from your Practicum Experience and consider factors that impact the education and treatment of patients with diabetes.
To prepare:
Review Chapter 205 in Part 17 of the Buttaro et al. text.
Reflect on the clinical presentation of diabetes, as well as your Practicum Experiences and observations. Select a case from these experiences that involve a diabetic patient. When referring to the patient, make sure to use a pseudonym or other false form of identification. This is to ensure the privacy and protection of the patient.
Recall the medical details of the patient in the case that you selected including patient history, clinical presentation, physical exams, diagnostics, and the recommended treatment plan.
Select one of the following patient factors: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior. Reflect on how this factor might impact the treatment plan and patient education strategies.
By Day 3
Post a description of the case that you selected including the diabetic patient's medical details. Then, explain how the factor that you selected might impact the treatment plan and patient education strategies.