HEALTH TEACHING: Diabetes mellitus

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1. Testing blood glucose levels pre-meal and post-meal can help the patient with diabetes make better food choices, based on how their bodies are responding to specific foods. Patients should be taught specific directions for obtaining an adequate blood sample and what to do with the numbers that they receive. 2. The patient needs to be reminded to record the blood glucose values on a log sheet with the date and time and any associated signs and symptoms that he/she is experiencing at the time the specimen was obtained. 3. The patient with diabetes needs to be reminded that the addition of medications to help manage his/her diabetes is not because they are failing at diet management. 4. Teach the patient about self-administration of insulin or oral agents as prescribed, and the importance of taking medications exactly as prescribed, in the appropriate dose (Davis, 2001). Patients should be provided with a list of signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia and actions to take in each situation. 5. Patients with diabetes should also receive education on the importance of smoking cessation, cholesterol and lipid management, blood pressure monitoring and management and management of other disease processes. 6. Encourage client and family about regular exercise. Regular exercise can improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, improve strength and flexibility, improve lipid levels, improve glycemic control, help decrease weight, and improve quality of life and self-esteem. 7. Patients with diabetes need to maintain a healthy diet consisting of multiple servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fish, lean meats, and poultry.