This Diabetes Awareness Week,”It’s about time … more people with diabetes were assisted to reach their glucose targets.”
With over 50% of people with diabetes not reaching their glycaemic target, it’s time for health professionals to act!
1 Stop the blame game of saying people are ‘non-compliant’ with their diabetes care.
Ask yourself, ‘Am I giving people with diabetes the knowledge and skills they need to manage their glucose levels and in a way they can understand and use? A referral to a Credentialled Diabetes Educator will help you to do this every time!
2 Ask yourself, ‘Do people with diabetes I look after know what their blood glucose targets are?
The best way to find out is to ask them. Then fill them in if they don’t know or their target is inaccurate. I’ve had many people who think they needed to get their glucose level back to zero in order to be ‘under control’ so very worthwhile checking!
3. Encourage people with diabetes not on insulin to learn how to do structured blood glucose monitoring.
CDEs are the experts in this area of care and can even sign the NDSS form approving another six months of strips. Structured monitoring makes sure people know how often, at what times and how to interpret their blood glucose levels. They also know when to take a break!
4 Accurate readings from blood glucose meters rely on an accurate meter AND technique of the person using it.
A CDE can check how both are going so everyone can trust the results written in the log book or teach people with diabetes how to Check, Think and Act on their blood glucose levels to help them stay in target for longer.
5 Have a look at the Check, Think and Act
a colourful, paper based education resource that makes it easier for you to help people to understand what their blood glucose levels mean and get them to target more often.