Unit 14: Physiological Disorders
Task 2 Diabetes Care Pathway
In this report, I will be assessing the care pathway for diabetes, looking at who is involved in the care, discussing how the practitioners and agencies work together to provide the care, and evaluating the effectiveness of practitioners working together with agencies in the pathway to provide the care.
What is a care pathway?
Care pathways are a way of setting out a process of best practice to be followed in the treatment of a patient with a particular condition or with particular needs. They are a representation of the best available expert opinion on the care process and should be backed up by evidence. Care pathways which draws out the care journey an individual can expect, should be multi-professional, crossing organisational boundaries and can act as a reminder for care. (AGEUK, 2020)
P4: What is the purpose of the pathway and who is involved in providing the care.
Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) also known as insulin dependent diabetes is an autoimmune disease that permanently destroys beta cells in the pancreas, so that the body can no longer produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in children and young people (CYP).
This care pathway is to be used by all staff in clinical areas caring for newly diagnosed children and young people (CYP) up to their 18th birthday. The care pathway will be used after by the CYP Diabetes team to continue care after discharge.
There are multiple purposes to this care pathway. They are to:
Plan, facilitate and promote a safe, seamless commencement of insulin therapy.
Provide continuity and consistency of care, minimising duplication and gaps in care to CYP and families.
Ensure CYP and their families are provided with the appropriate education to enable them to continue management and become experts in their own diabetes management once discharged. The goal is to achieve a good quality of life and reach their full potential.
Minimise the risk of severe hypoglycaemia and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Minimise prescribing errors.
Increase CYP and families satisfaction with the care and advice given.
There is a CYP Diabetes Team. These professionals include:
Specialist CYP nurses
Paediatric Consultants
Paediatric Dieticians
Paediatric Clinical Psychologist
M2 Discuss how the practitioners and care agencies work together in the pathway to provide the care
The CYP Diabetes Team supports the acute area staff (medical and nursing staff) and continues working through the pathway with the CYP/family on discharge. The key main aim and message of this pathway is that families, children and young people with diabetes benefit massively from a good start to diabetes care with confident, clear, positive messages, support and advice. The Association of Childrens Diabetes Clinicians (ACDC) recommends or states that professionals to have frequent contact with families to help manage the changing requirements...
