• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Staying in hospital

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
MCH

MCH

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Pronouns
She/Her
As some of you may remember, I ended up in hospital last September.

I was recently talking to a friend and was asked about my medication. As I said in my original thread, I did not have my insulin/blood testing stuff with me, but I am now wondering, if I had taken them into the hospital, what would have happened to them? What I mean is, if you take in your own insulin etc. can you take the amount/test your blood when you feel it is appropriate or are they taken from you and used only when the medical staff think it is appropriate?
 
Depends!

You have to discuss your care plan. The more 'caring' hospitals like self-management - but then of course as I said, it would depend on the treatment you were hhaving and whether you are going to be capable or not, wouldn't it? I mean if you have to have a general, then you won't be capable and you'd be on a sliding scale.

I've done great on a scale whenever I've had to have one. But then I've never been ill - just had some operations that didn't involve illness.

OTOH I have a friend who was seriously ill and on a sliding scale, her daughter visted and picked up her chart off the end of the bed. After speaking to her mum, she then nabbed whoever was 'in charge' as she walked past and requested what had been done to treat her mum's hypo (2. something) in the middle of the night. The appropraie nurse was then wheeled out who said 'Oh she hadn't bothered doing anything or telling anyone, because she didn't like to disturb Mrs Bloggs' sleep ......'

Daughter assured the Ward that heads would roll if they didn't stop trying to kill her mother ....

Daughter is a GP elsewhere in the country!

So there are no guarantees ........
 
I've had three general anaesthetics in the last three years. I stayed on MDI for all three operations, no sliding scale. I managed all of the medications and blood tests myself.....the only blood tests done by them were when I was under the anaesthetic or just coming round.
 
HI MCH,
The magic words are.... I will self medicate, thank you🙂
As long as you are capable of self medication then insist on in. Any arguements then just ask why they think you are incapable as you manage 24/7 at home.
Do not hand over your insulin make sure you keep all stuff with you in a locked container. This then stops anyone with dementia ect, taking your sttuff by mistake. A little money box works wonders.
Obviously write down insulin given and test results so the nurses have these for your record charts.
At the end of the day the nurses are more than pleased when people with diabetes self medicate as it gives them the time to see to people who need help on the wards.
 
Thanks to all of you for your replies.

I feel confident that I now have a better idea of what to do if/when I end up in hospital in the future.
 
Generally you can self administer your own medication such as insulin in hospitals. We don't mind it, in fact it's one thing less to do. You may be asked if you will keep your insulin and needles in the pods but that is reasonable as we have to maintain a safe working environment and ensure all the safety of medication.
BM kits are fine. I quite encourage my patients to leave them out and look after themselves on the proviso that they tell me what's happening.
Clearly if someone is unable to self administer or care for themselves then I will step in and take charge through a variety of means. Even if this is just checking their BM on our meters as they have forgotten theirs. Quite often we like to use our own meters as we can guarantee that they will be fully operational and calibrated at regular intervals.

Sue,

Yes as a rule we are happy for people to self medicate. However, please bear in mind that there are many circumstances under which we might not be happy for this to happen. For example in any number of scenarios involving self harm, mental health issues and the like. All our patients are equally deserving of the care that they receive but yes, we have to prioritize according to who is most ill.

Tom
 
TomH said:
Sue,

Yes as a rule we are happy for people to self medicate. However, please bear in mind that there are many circumstances under which we might not be happy for this to happen. For example in any number of scenarios involving self harm, mental health issues and the like. All our patients are equally deserving of the care that they receive but yes, we have to prioritize according to who is most ill.

Tom
Click to expand...

Ah but I did state as long as capable 🙂
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top