Plan Proposal

Running Head: PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION 1

DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT 3

Diabetes Self-Management

Alexander Ruche

Problem Identification

August, 2020

Diabetes is an incurable disorder in which an individual is required to make several self-management decisions on a daily basis and carry out complex self-care processes. Diabetes self-management support (DSMS) is a process in which an individual with diabetes is assisted in putting into practice and maintaining the characteristics required to control his or her disease on a continuous basis (Powers et al. 2017). The method of assistance offered can be psychosocial, behavioral, clinical, or educational, and a patient-centered approach is applied to ensure that the care is provided respectfully and the patient’s decisions and values control all clinical decisions. Despite having DSMS, there is diabetes self-management education (DSME), which is a continuous activity of simplifying the understanding, and the skills required for self-care during diabetes. The process includes the requirements, objectives, and personal life experiences with the disease and is managed through evidence-based research.

The main objective of DSME is to reinforce enlightened decision-making, problem-solving, self-care characteristics, and an active alliance with clinicians to improve clinical results and health outcomes (Powers & Marrero, 2016). In DSMS, there is shared decision making, which is a major element in patient-centered care, which gives rise to patient attitude and choices as well as provides information to enable full participation of the patient. Shared decision making has been proved to enhance clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial results for individuals with diabetes. Through the patient-centered approach, nurses are required to collaborate and effectively communicate with patients with diabetes. Through this approach, nurses obtain emotions, interpretation, and understanding through active asking open-ended questions and searching the aspiration to change in diabetes patients to support self-management. Moreover, nurses applying the approach assist the diabetes patient to have a better understanding of the options available and feel supported when making instructed self-management decisions.

The healthcare providers and other staff can assist in promoting the adoption of self-management tasks for patients with diabetes, but still it is difficult for patients to maintain these behaviors. There are some strategies that need to be applied to improve patients outcomes. Strategies such as regular evaluation of understanding, expertise, and behavior should be considered for patients who meet the objectives and those who do not (Powers et al. 2020). There should be regular visits for diabetes support and teaching to evaluate all domains of self-management, check on behavior change, and how the patient is coping with the skills of solving diabetic problems as well as the challenges that the diabetes patient is facing to know how to improve therapy.

When offering support to diabetes patients, healthcare providers mostly forget about utilizing family members as a resource to offer support. The strategy of involving family members and friends in DSME/S activities regularly can help improve the patient’s positive outcome (Wetherill et al. 2019). Family members can also assist in shared decision making, where they adjust the medication plan according to the requirements of the patient to improve the patient’s outcome. Though DSMS has included the issue of strategies to cover psychosocial problems and concerns, there should be more mental health measures needed to cover the critical stress related to diabetes, anxiety, and clinical depression.

There are board nursing standards that are required for diabetes self-management education. DSME system is required to document all its organizational composition, objectives as well as their mission statement and to acknowledge standard DSME as a basic element of providing care to diabetes patients (Wahowiak, 2018). Documenting the DSME organizational composition, objectives, and mission statement can assist in providing efficient services. The DSME system is also required to discover the diabetes educational requirements of the targeted population and recognize the resources required to meet their requirements. Making plain the population targeted and establishing its self-management educational requirements helps pay more attention to resources and improve health benefits.

Reference

Powers, M. A., Bardsley, J., Cypress, M., Duker, P., Funnell, M. M., Fischl, A. H., ... & Vivian, E. (2017). Diabetes self-management education and support in type 2 diabetes: a joint position statement of the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The Diabetes Educator, 43(1), 40-53.

Powers, M. A., & Marrero, D. (2016). Diabetes Self-management Education and Support in Type 2 Diabetes: A Joint Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Diabetes Care 2015; 38: 1372-1382. Diabetes Care, 39(1), e17.

Powers, M. A., Bardsley, J. K., Cypress, M., Funnell, M. M., Harms, D., Hess-Fischl, A... & Norton, A. (2020). Diabetes Self-management Education and Support in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Consensus Report of the American Diabetes Association, the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of PAs, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the American Pharmacists Association. The Diabetes Educator, 0145721720930959.

Wahowiak, L. K. (2018). National standards for diabetes self-management education and support: what’s changed. AADE in Practice, 6(1), 20-24

Wetherill, M. S., Williams, M. B., White, K. C., & Seligman, H. K. (2019). Characteristics of Households of People With Diabetes Accessing US Food Pantries: Implications for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. The Diabetes Educator, 45(4), 397-407.