Clinical update
Diabetes Essential facts
Find out more
Three million people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes, and a further 850,000 are estimated to have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. About 10 per cent of people with diabetes have type 1 – when the body produces no insulin. People with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin, or the insulin they produce does not work properly.
NICE public health guidance on preventing type 2 diabetes (July 2012) tinyurl.com/qg9vaf9
ISTOCKPHOTO
What’s new? Failures in care of people with diabetes have been uncovered in two recent reports. The extra bed days needed by diabetes patients admitted to hospital are costing the NHS an estimated £573 million a year, according to a Joint British Diabetes Societies for Inpatient Care report (tinyurl.com/qf4g9nn). It also says that readmission rates within 28 days for people with diabetes are 59 per cent higher than for patients without the condition. The National Diabetes Audit (www.hscic. gov.uk/catalogue/PUB12421) found that many people in England are not receiving the nine annual checks to monitor their health recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Causes/risk factors The cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, but it is not related to weight. It is usually diagnosed in childhood or young adulthood. Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity, family history, age and ethnic background. Type 2 starts gradually, usually later in life, and it can be years before someone realises they have it.
How you can help your patient
Signs/symptoms The signs for both types of diabetes include passing urine more often than usual, especially at night, increased thirst, extreme tiredness, unexplained weight loss, genital itching or regular episodes of thrush, slow healing of cuts and wounds and blurred vision. Symptoms tend to present more quickly and be more obvious in people with type 1 diabetes.
Expert comment Siobhan Pender is a diabetes specialist nurse at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London
Diabetes UK urges healthcare professionals to ensure that people with diabetes receive what it calls the 15 Healthcare Essentials. These include annual checks of eye and blood glucose levels, access to education courses to help them manage their diabetes, and a thorough foot check at least once a year. NICE says that practice, community and occupational health nurses should be carrying out risk assessments for type 2 diabetes using an online tool such as the one provided by Diabetes UK (tinyurl.com/qxj7p25) as early diagnosis is important to avoid complications.
‘Educating healthcare professionals and people with diabetes is vital to improve care. As diabetes is so common, up to date knowledge on how to prevent, diagnose, and treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes is an essential competency for all nurses. A nursing workforce with skills in diabetes will ensure patients at
NICE clinical guideline on managing type 2 diabetes (May 2009) publications.nice.org.uk/ type-2-diabetes-cg87 NICE clinical guideline on type 1 diabetes (July 2004) publications.nice.org.uk/ type-1-diabetes-cg15 Diabetes UK 15 Healthcare Essentials www.diabetes.org.uk/ 15-essentials Articles from Nursing Standard: Type 2 diabetes in south Asian people (May 2012) rcnpublishing.com/ doi/abs/10.7748/ ns2012.05.26.35.42.c9083 Self-management skills for people with type 2 diabetes (October 2010) rcnpublishing.com/ doi/abs/10.7748/ ns2010.10.25.6.48.c8039
risk of diabetes, or newly diagnosed, will have access to quality care to prevent devastating complications. ‘There needs to be investment in specialist nurses to assess high risk patients. Nurses should also be aware that people with diabetes have an increased risk of mental health problems.‘
NURSING STANDARD january 29 :: vol 28 no 22 :: 2014 19 Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 09, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Diabetes Essential facts
Find out more
Three million people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes, and a further 850,000 are estimated to have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. About 10 per cent of people with diabetes have type 1 – when the body produces no insulin. People with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin, or the insulin they produce does not work properly.
NICE public health guidance on preventing type 2 diabetes (July 2012) tinyurl.com/qg9vaf9
ISTOCKPHOTO
What’s new? Failures in care of people with diabetes have been uncovered in two recent reports. The extra bed days needed by diabetes patients admitted to hospital are costing the NHS an estimated £573 million a year, according to a Joint British Diabetes Societies for Inpatient Care report (tinyurl.com/qf4g9nn). It also says that readmission rates within 28 days for people with diabetes are 59 per cent higher than for patients without the condition. The National Diabetes Audit (www.hscic. gov.uk/catalogue/PUB12421) found that many people in England are not receiving the nine annual checks to monitor their health recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Causes/risk factors The cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, but it is not related to weight. It is usually diagnosed in childhood or young adulthood. Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity, family history, age and ethnic background. Type 2 starts gradually, usually later in life, and it can be years before someone realises they have it.
How you can help your patient
Signs/symptoms The signs for both types of diabetes include passing urine more often than usual, especially at night, increased thirst, extreme tiredness, unexplained weight loss, genital itching or regular episodes of thrush, slow healing of cuts and wounds and blurred vision. Symptoms tend to present more quickly and be more obvious in people with type 1 diabetes.
Expert comment Siobhan Pender is a diabetes specialist nurse at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London
Diabetes UK urges healthcare professionals to ensure that people with diabetes receive what it calls the 15 Healthcare Essentials. These include annual checks of eye and blood glucose levels, access to education courses to help them manage their diabetes, and a thorough foot check at least once a year. NICE says that practice, community and occupational health nurses should be carrying out risk assessments for type 2 diabetes using an online tool such as the one provided by Diabetes UK (tinyurl.com/qxj7p25) as early diagnosis is important to avoid complications.
‘Educating healthcare professionals and people with diabetes is vital to improve care. As diabetes is so common, up to date knowledge on how to prevent, diagnose, and treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes is an essential competency for all nurses. A nursing workforce with skills in diabetes will ensure patients at
NICE clinical guideline on managing type 2 diabetes (May 2009) publications.nice.org.uk/ type-2-diabetes-cg87 NICE clinical guideline on type 1 diabetes (July 2004) publications.nice.org.uk/ type-1-diabetes-cg15 Diabetes UK 15 Healthcare Essentials www.diabetes.org.uk/ 15-essentials Articles from Nursing Standard: Type 2 diabetes in south Asian people (May 2012) rcnpublishing.com/ doi/abs/10.7748/ ns2012.05.26.35.42.c9083 Self-management skills for people with type 2 diabetes (October 2010) rcnpublishing.com/ doi/abs/10.7748/ ns2010.10.25.6.48.c8039
risk of diabetes, or newly diagnosed, will have access to quality care to prevent devastating complications. ‘There needs to be investment in specialist nurses to assess high risk patients. Nurses should also be aware that people with diabetes have an increased risk of mental health problems.‘
NURSING STANDARD january 29 :: vol 28 no 22 :: 2014 19 Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 09, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
