By providing comprehensive care to patients and by promoting education, I as a Family Nurse practitioner can have a positive impact on the treatment of diabetes. Agarwal Tandon Gupta 2018 found comprehensive diabetes care to include glycemic and blood pressure management as well as weight management and smoking cessation.
A specific teaching I could do for patients to minimize symptoms would be to inform them about the benefits of physical exercise. A study by O’Brien et al. Physical activity can improve the glycemic level of diabetic patients. The American Diabetes Association recommends that patients with diabetes engage in 150 minutes per week of aerobic exercise at a moderate intensity or 75 minutes at a vigorous intensity, over three consecutive days.
You may want to teach your patients about the importance of exercising regularly and suggest specific physical activities they could do, such as cycling, walking or swimming. They may be advised to check their blood sugar levels both before and after exercise to make sure they do not experience hypoglycemia. Also, I might recommend they consult a physical therapist to create an individual exercise plan.
Conclusion: As a Family Nurse practitioner, I have the opportunity to improve diabetes patient care through comprehensive care, and by promoting education. In addition to reducing disease symptoms, by educating patients on the benefits of exercise I am able to improve their health.