Assignment Task
Case Scenario
Three years ago when John was 26, he started experiencing some unusual symptoms (excessive urination, thirst). He went to his local GP and explained the symptoms. John was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes after doing many blood tests and a few consultations with his GP. John has a family history of diabetes (grandfather). GP asked John to take insulin injection and referred him to an endocrinologist and a diabetes nurse educator. John although appearing to cope with the practical aspects of management of his blood glucose level, still struggling to adjust to this new lifestyle.
John was relieved when the diagnosis was established, feeling he knows the reasons for the symptoms he had. However, he is concerned about his career as a police officer. He finds his job is stressful at times and needs to do long hours. Also, concerned about the physical activity involved. John lives with his partner who find hard to cope with this change. John enjoys the time spending with his friends and they used to go camping, rock climbing etc. He is reluctant to join them lately worried about the blood sugar level control. He had hypoglycemic episodes a few times since the diagnosis was made.
John attends endocrinology and the diabetes nurse follows up regularly and tries desperately to live a normal life. He is considering different treatment options which can make his life less complex.
Please consider the following points when you attend this assessment
Describe briefly patient information linked with the diagnosis and pathophysiology Risk factors to develop Type 1 diabetes Describe the prevalence of the patient’s current diagnosis in Australia and compare it with global statistics. Discuss the impact of disease on the person living with the illness and their family Formulate health promotional activities to maintain the quality of life of someone living with this condition Role of nurse to manage the selected chronic condition by providing collaborative care.
ASSESSMENT INSTRUCTIONS
To get started on your assessment task, please follow the below instructions.
Instructions
Use high-level quality contemporary evidence-based literature to inform the discussion and critical analysis, date of evidence within ten years;
You need to write this assessment by using academic writing skills. This means you will be writing this in third person (not I or me) and include the following structure: an introduction, body (relevant headings) and conclusion.
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John is a 26-year-old male who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes three years ago after experiencing symptoms of excessive urination and thirst. He has a family history of diabetes, as his grandfather had the disease. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. As a result, people with Type 1 diabetes are unable to produce insulin and must take insulin injections to manage their blood sugar levels.
Risk factors for developing Type 1 diabetes include having a family history of the disease, being of European or Scandinavian ancestry, and having certain genetic markers.
In Australia, the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes is about 1 in 500 people. This is similar to global statistics, as the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes is estimated to be about 1 in 300 to 1 in 600 people worldwide.
Living with a chronic condition like Type 1 diabetes can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life and their relationships with family and friends. John has mentioned feeling concerned about his career as a police officer and his ability to engage in physical activities such as camping and rock climbing. He has also had hypoglycemic episodes, which can be dangerous and disruptive to daily life.
To maintain the quality of life of someone living with Type 1 diabetes, it is important to educate them about the disease and how to manage it, including how to recognize and treat hypoglycemic episodes. Health promotional activities could include providing information about healthy eating and physical activity, as well as support for managing the emotional and social impacts of the disease.
The role of the nurse in managing John’s condition is to provide collaborative care, which means working with other healthcare professionals and with John himself to develop a treatment plan that meets his needs and goals. This may involve coordinating with the endocrinologist and diabetes nurse educator, as well as providing education and support to John and his partner. The nurse can also help John to identify and access resources and support to help him manage his condition and maintain a high quality of life.
