Diabetic Continuing Education Package

This continuing nurse education bundle contains 2 popular diabetic education courses:

Diabetes: An Introduction

Diabetes (also known as Diabetes Mellitus) is a chronic disease state, in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or the body does not effectively utilize the insulin being produced. The result of such events is that an increased amount of glucose remains in the bloodstream. This is known as hyperglycemia. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia can lead to numerous medical conditions, and, in extreme cases, can be life-threatening. Prompt, early treatment is the best way to control the disease process and reduce the occurrence of associated complications. 

The world of diabetes is constantly changing. Newer medications, monitoring devices, and dietary guidelines are showing up in the news on an almost daily basis. Earlier detection and treatment are successfully giving the person with diabetes the ability to take control of their health and well-being.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Diabetes Statistics Report of 2017 paints a quite different picture of diabetes than previous years. There are now approximately 30.3 million people with diabetes, roughly 9.4 % of the United States population. 23.1 million are diagnosed, leaving 7.2 million people unknowingly living with a chronic disease.

The World Health Organization gives us a different look at diabetes. According to their research, the number of people with diabetes has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. Additionally, the global prevalence of diabetes among adults over 18 years of age has risen from 4.7% in 1980 to 8.5% in 2014.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90-95% of all diabetes; Type 1 diabetes accounts for the remaining 5-10%. This important statistic reminds us that the majority of people with diabetes are in a position to make positive lifestyle changes that can affect their diabetes, control their blood sugars and lower their risk of diabetic related complications. Throughout this diabetes educational program, such changes/choices will be discussed. 

Diabetes is an "equal opportunity” disease, affecting both men and women, of all ages from infants to elders, and also affects all nationalities. In the United States, diabetes is ranked as the 7th leading cause of death. If current patterns continue, it was estimated that one in three American children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes. Thus, it is critical for the health and welfare of our nation that we begin to understand the disease of diabetes, its implications, and what we can do to lower our risk of the disease and its associated complications. The goal of this Continuing Education program is to educate all levels of providers on the chronic disease process known as diabetes, and to empower them to recognize their own personal risk factors. The program will discuss lifestyle changes, as well as overview medications available to treat diabetes. Additionally, the program will discuss medication conditions associated with diabetes, their treatment goals, and proper patient education. Finally, the program is written to enhance the practice of healthcare providers in all areas of practice, from acute care settings to long term care facilities. Specific guidelines will be outlined for the care of a diabetic patient in a variety of clinical settings


Diabetes Management and Insulin Pumps

Since the introduction of insulin pumps several decades ago, Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII) therapy has become the preferred method of treatment for everyone with Type 1 Diabetes. For patients using CSII, it replaces multiple daily injections (MDI) of insulin. Insulin pumps are also used for some people with Type 2 Diabetes who, as a result of the progression of their diabetes, require MDI of insulin a day, similar to a person who has Type 1 Diabetes. Many of the patients admitted to long term care facilities, assisted living facilities, post acute care facilities and rehabilitation units are mentally alert but need of physical care during an extended recovery or rehabilitation time. The dilemma in the post acute care settings, when a patient is admitted who has been on CSII, is whether to continue the use of the insulin pump or revert back to MDI of insulin. In this course, we will explore when it is appropriate to leave the patient on CSII, when to consider reverting to multiple injections and how to manage an insulin pump in the post acute care setting when it is determined to be the preferred method of treatment. Videos, pictures and links to pertinent web sites are included to enhance the learning experience.