Module Desciption
s
Field name / Comments/notes
Title / Delivering Innovative Care in Diabetes Mellitus
Code / NA365
Level / 6
Credit rating / 20
Pre-requisites / Entry requirements to the Professional Practice Framework apply.
In addition students must be working in an area where they have a caseload of patients with diabetes mellitus.
Type of module / Extensive, over one semester
Aims / To enable health care professionals, caring for patients with diabetes mellitus, to create therapeutic partnerships with patients, taking into account ethical, cultural and resourcing issues.
Learning outcomes/objectives / The student will be able to:
  • assess critically the current health care status of patients with diabetes mellitus;
  • plan appropriate individualised care, which is cognisant of the individual’s agenda, balanced against available resources;
  • implement the planned care at a pace that discriminates for the needs of the individual;
  • make critical judgements of the care delivered against agreed outcomes.

Content / Utilise available resources to provide evidence-based care.
Review of normal physiology and pathophysiology related to diabetes mellitus.
Revision of the possible complications of diabetes mellitus and related pathophysiology, together with identification of risk factors.
Nutrition and diabetes mellitus with emphasis on possible eating disorder.
Lifestyle challenges for patients with diabetes mellitus, including the family and carer perspective.
Psycho-social responses, the client’s view and strategies for self-care.
Exercise and its impact on a person with diabetes.
Pharmacology related to diversity in treatments for diabetes mellitus.
Treatment regimes and management.
Multi-disciplinary frameworks and approaches to care. Primary and secondary care roles, integrated pathways, benchmarking and government directives in the context of health care for diabetes, for example NICE and the NSF for diabetes mellitus.
Supportive strategies for people with diabetes in special circumstances, for example paediatrics, older people, pregnancy, surgery and illness.
Ethical dilemmas related to treatment care, management and resources. Cultural diversity and outcomes for care.
Evidence-based practice related to diabetes.
Teaching and learning strategies / Module hours:
Total 200-
  • 60 hours taught;
  • 70 hours student directed learning;
  • 70 hours clinical linked learning activities.
Teaching and learning strategies will include keynote delivery from specialists in practice, small group discussions and seminar presentations. A key feature of the teaching and learning strategies will be the exploration of examples from practice to explore theories and concepts related to therapeutic interventions in the care of patients with diabetes mellitus.
Learning support /

Books

Court, S. and B. Lamb. (eds) 1997. Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes. Chichester : Wiley.
Department of Health 2002. National Service Framework for Diabetes.:Standards London : Department of Health.
Department of Health 2003. National Service Framework for Diabetes.:Delivery Strategy London : Department of Health.-
Fox, C. and M. Mackinnon. 1999. Vital Diabetes, Your essential reference for diabetes management in primary care. London : Class Health.
Jerreat L 2003 Diabetes for Nurses. London: Whurr publishers
Rollnick, R., P. Mason and C. Butler. 1999. Health Behaviour Change. London : Churchill Livingstone.
Williams, G. and J. Pickup. 1999. Handbook of Diabetes. Oxford : Blackwell Science.

Journals

Diabetes Digest
Practical Diabetes International
Diabetic Foot

Journal of Practical Diabetes

Journal of Diabetes Nursing
Diabetes Care
Diabetic Medicine

Assessment tasks / Assessment weighting:
  • 50% written assignment;
  • 50% clinical linked learning activities.
Students are required to pass both parts with a minimum 40% pass mark. The 40% pass mark is a course specific requirement for the Professional Practice Framework.

Written assignment

Students will write a 2,000-word (+10%) assignment that:
  • considers 2-3 pieces of research that have been published in the last 10 years and relate the findings and recommendations to a client or client group that the student has professional contact with. The following areas should be considered and critical comparisons made between what is happening in practice as compared to the evidenced-based practice suggested by the research;
  • the appropriateness of the therapeutic intervention(s);
  • the use of available resources, for example education;
  • the location of care delivery that is primary or secondary care;
  • government directives, for example NICE and the NSF;
  • a conclusion which suggests why there is congruity or incongruity between the students’ practice and the recommendations.

Clinical Linked Learning Activities

Students will be required to undertake 4 out of 11 clinical linked learning activities. These will enable students to link theory to practice and will contribute 50% of the final mark. The total word count should not exceed 2,000 (+10%) words.
1Make short critical notes on an ethical dilemma encountered in practice and its contributing factors.
2Select one patient and make critical notes on why a particular insulin regime is selected.
3Select one patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus and make critical notes on why a diet is the first choice of treatment.
4Select one patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus and make critical notes on why an oral hypoglycaemic is the first choice of treatment for that patient.
5Make critical notes on how different health care professionals relate to patients with diabetes mellitus.
6Discuss with one patient his/her understanding of how exercise affects his/her diabetes and make critical notes on the patient’s perspective.
7 Select a patient and make critical notes on how resources have affected that patient’s experience of diabetes care.
8Select a patient and elicit his/her perspective of his/her symptoms of diabetes and make critical notes relating the symptoms to the pathophysiology.
9Select a patient and make brief notes of the impact of diabetes on the psycho-social aspects of the patient’s lifestyle.
10Discuss with two patients how they manage the difficulties imposed by diabetes and make notes to compare and contrast their coping strategies.
11Select a patient with Type 2 diabetes and make critical notes on why insulin transfer is recommended for that patient.
Brief description of module content and/or aims (maximum 80 words) / This module aims to provide the knowledge and skills required for health care professionals to deliver appropriate care to patients who have diabetes mellitus, through all its transitional phases from initial diagnosis to complex complications and to recognise the point at which further reference is required.
Area examination board to which module relates / Undergraduate Continuing Professional Development
Module team/authors/ coordinator / Sue Dyer (author)
Sara Da Costa, Pari Sheppard (module leaders/co-ordinators)
Semester offered, where appropriate / One and two
Date of first approval / 2001
Date of last revision / N/A
Date of approval of this version / July 2005
Version number / 3
Replacement for previous module / No
Field for which module is acceptable and status in that field / Nursing - optional/compulsory
Course(s) for which module is acceptable and status in course / BSc (Hons) in Professional Practice Framework- optional/compulsory
School home / InaM
External examiner / Samantha Barker, appointed October 2001