Building a Novel Inpatient Diabetes Management Mentor Program

Abstract

The intent of this project was to create a formalized educational program for bedside nurses responsible for inpatient diabetes management. Bedside nurses are recruited to serve as diabetes management mentors. The mentors receive advanced education concerning teaching and learning principles, the AADE7™ Self-Care Behaviors, and diabetes management strategies. They teach their peers, advocate for patients, and facilitate referrals for outpatient Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) programs. The focus of these ongoing educational activities is to foster the development of diabetes management mentors and to create teaching tools that mentors can use with peers to address practice gaps or skill deficiencies. The diabetes management mentor is integral in enhancing the care of patients with diabetes in the hospital. The empowerment of bedside nurses as mentors for their peers and their patients is an invaluable asset that helps nurses take ownership of their practice. This role could be applied to other complex disease entities, helping nurses to develop specific management skills to improve patient outcomes and enhance patient satisfaction.

An assessment of diabetes‐related knowledge among registered nurses working in hospitals in Jordan

“…Recent attempts in creating a formalized educational programme for bedside nurses responsible for inpatient diabetes management has been applied (Modic et al. ). The core of this work is preparing bedside nurses to serve as diabetes management mentors.…”

Hospitalization as a setting for health education for people with diabetes mellitus

“…Some nurses are not well aware of the pharmacokinetics of insulin, blood glucose targets for hospitalized patients or the appropriate hypoglycemia treatment, and that all caregivers are insufficiently aware of these topics. 23 A list of common barriers in hospital institutions can be highlighted as regards the care of people with hospitalized DM, among them i) inability to coordinate the care triad: monitoring of blood glucose, insulin administration and meal consumed; ii) incomplete communication among health professionals; iii) inadequate knowledge of factors that contribute to hypoglycemia; iv) failure to recognize DM as a clinical problem; v) little empowerment to talk about the management of glucose levels; and vi) lack of attention to glucose levels. 24 Such barriers/obstacles can be overcome with the planning and implementation of continuing education for nursing professionals in the hospital environment, with some specific care model for the care of people with DM in the hospital setting that focuses on the real needs of this population.…”

“…In this program, nurses are recruited to serve as DM management mentors and receive advanced education related to the principles of teaching and learning about the seven selfcare behaviors indicated by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) and DM management strategies. 23 Mentoring nurses become responsible for empowering the other nurses and DM hospitalized people through knowledge, as well as defending people with DM and facilitating referrals to ambulatory service. 23 Thus, the educational program aims to promote the development of mentoring nurses in the management of DM and also to create teaching tools that can be used by care nurses to solve practical gaps or skill deficiencies.…”

“…23 Mentoring nurses become responsible for empowering the other nurses and DM hospitalized people through knowledge, as well as defending people with DM and facilitating referrals to ambulatory service. 23 Thus, the educational program aims to promote the development of mentoring nurses in the management of DM and also to create teaching tools that can be used by care nurses to solve practical gaps or skill deficiencies. 23 Another example was the study that was concerned with the impact that a specific care team could generate in the care of hospitalized DM people.…”

“…23 Thus, the educational program aims to promote the development of mentoring nurses in the management of DM and also to create teaching tools that can be used by care nurses to solve practical gaps or skill deficiencies. 23 Another example was the study that was concerned with the impact that a specific care team could generate in the care of hospitalized DM people. 28 For this reason, a team was formed with five DM specialist nurses dedicated to the care of hospitalized people, with support a consultant, and a diabetologist.…”