Diabetes for Nurses: Disease and Diagnosis

Master the pathophysiology of diabetes and the complexities of diabetic ketoacidosis to ensure accurate diagnosis and effective patient assessment.

  • Nurse

  • 1 hour

      Overview

      This clinical session is designed to deepen your understanding of diabetes mellitus, covering everything from fundamental homeostasis to the critical management of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). You will begin by revising essential terminology and exploring the anatomy and physiology of glucose control. By understanding what happens when glucose homeostasis fails, you will be able to extrapolate the resulting clinical signs and their systemic effects on the body.
      The course provides a detailed look at the diagnostic process, outlining the specific tests required to confirm a diagnosis. Furthermore, you will study the pathophysiology of diabetic ketoacidosis, gaining the skills to assess these high-risk patients effectively. This training ensures you can move beyond simple observation to a more comprehensive understanding of the disease process in feline and canine patients.

      Intended learning outcomes

      By the end of this course, you should be able to:
      • Define the terms commonly used regarding diabetes
      • Recall how homeostasis of glucose is controlled
      • Explain the process of diagnosing diabetes and the tests required for this
      • Describe diabetic ketoacidosis and how these patients are assessed
      “I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.”
      HERMANN HESSE, SIDDHARTHA