Rosiecarmel
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1.5 LADA
We have a T2 diabetic patient on my ward. Got admitted yesterday. As part of their baseline observations, I did their BGs which were 13.2. On reporting this to my mentor, he replies with "well that's pretty good. Nothing to worry about"
I obviously questioned him on this as it shocked me and he quite bluntly told me that they've had worse on the ward. He said the diabetic nurse comes on the ward every month to see any diabetic or pre diabetic patients but mainly they're just left to the care of the ward staff. As we can't force patients to take physical medication (psychiatric medication is a different story) we just have to accept if if they refuse their tablets or even insulin.
Very sad indeed
It's the same with all physical drugs. Patients on drugs for high BP are at risk of stroke if they don't take their tablets but all we can do is monitor them and call an ambulance if necessary!
we can sit and explain the ramifications of not taking their meds but as most of them have quite progressed dementia, they don't understand or won't remember. Even my mentor admitted it's sad but their hands are tied really.
Dementia is such an awful disease
I obviously questioned him on this as it shocked me and he quite bluntly told me that they've had worse on the ward. He said the diabetic nurse comes on the ward every month to see any diabetic or pre diabetic patients but mainly they're just left to the care of the ward staff. As we can't force patients to take physical medication (psychiatric medication is a different story) we just have to accept if if they refuse their tablets or even insulin.
Very sad indeed
It's the same with all physical drugs. Patients on drugs for high BP are at risk of stroke if they don't take their tablets but all we can do is monitor them and call an ambulance if necessary!
we can sit and explain the ramifications of not taking their meds but as most of them have quite progressed dementia, they don't understand or won't remember. Even my mentor admitted it's sad but their hands are tied really.
Dementia is such an awful disease