Chelsea M. Witek
Palomar College
Author Note
This paper was prepared for N117 taught by Instructors Pince and Van Houten.
The Etiology, Manifestations, and Management of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a disease involving poor regulation of glucose by the body and requires continuous management by the patient and/or healthcare team to keep it under control (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2016, p. 1300). There are two classifications of Diabetes Mellitus: Type 1 and Type 2. Both types affect the body’s ability to control glucose levels in the blood; however, the onset, symptoms, and treatment regimen are specific to each type. The focus here will be …show more content…
1306). In a normal patient, beta cells are triggered to release insulin, which promotes glucose uptake into skeletal muscles and fat to maintain blood glucose at an ideal level. In a patient with Type 1 diabetes, there is a lack of insulin because the immune system doesn’t recognize normal cells as “self” and, as a result, “takes destructive action against the insulin-secreting cells in the islets (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2016, p. 1306). This absence of insulin is the basis for characteristics and management of type 1 …show more content…
Because diabetes is a self-managed disease, the most important part of a nursing care plan is education. According to Ignatavicius & Workman (2016), survival information should be the first step in diabetes education because it is need-to-know information that can prevent life-threatening complications (p. 1337). It is important that the nurse teaches the patient how to regularly check blood glucose levels, the proper way to mix and administer insulin, signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia and what to do if they occur, diet information, and when to contact a healthcare provider (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2016, p. 1338). Diabetic sick day management should also be addressed because a having a cold or flu involves “managing blood glucose levels that may be more difficult to control,” which can be detrimental if proper steps are not taken (American DIabetes Association, 2017). Along with education in the clinical care setting, the nurse also needs the skill to implement what is being taught to the patient. The nurse is responsible for checking blood glucose, properly mixing and administering insulin, and recognizing the symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, while caring for a diabetic patient in the clinical