Course Description
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the population worldwide. Diabetes can be a complex and fatal disease, if not treated appropriately. It can lead to systemic complications affecting many organ systems, and is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. Because of these staggering numbers, it is likely that nurses, in all healthcare settings, will encounter and treat a diabetic patient. This course is designed to assist the nurse in investigating the complications of diabetes including the signs and symptoms of hypo and hyperglycemia along with considering clinical implications for practice with treatment options. This course also will explore diet plans for the diabetic patient, considerations for discharge planning and educational support for patients and their families.
The course is the third in a series that includes two other courses that are each worth 1.0 CE for nurses and can be completed in sequence or as standalone courses.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the course, the learner will be able to:
- Understand the signs and symptoms of hypo/hyperglycemia and its treatment options
- Evaluate the Point-of-Care procedure for obtaining a blood glucose level, and to identify normal versus critical values
- Develop a diet plan for the diabetic patient, along with teaching patients about when to check blood glucose levels
- Evaluate discharge planning goals
- Examine educational support given to patients and their families
Intended Audience
This educational activity was developed for nurses, but is also appropriate for additional healthcare roles including, but not limited to clinical managers, new graduate nurses, and clinical educators,
CE Information
This course is approved for 1.0 contact hours by the Florida and California State Boards of Nursing.
Course Authors
This course was written by Megan Stewart, MD, Jessica Taylor, RN, and Brenda Kozak, MSN, RN, CNE.
Megan Stewart is a physician with training in General Surgery.
Jessica Taylor has a Master’s degree in nursing and experience in emergency and critical care nursing, with board certification in emergency nursing and a trauma nurse specialist license.
Brenda Kozak is a certified nurse educator with 18 years of clinical experience in nursing, who earned her Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on education.