Posted by: @laura-georgeimproveinternational-com
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Betty will be seen by you at a nurse diabetic clinic one-month after discharge. What support or advice should be included in outpatient diabetic clinics? How can we ensure these outpatient clinics are beneficial for owners?
Diabetic outpatient clinics/appointments with RVNs are key support resources for owners of diabetic patients. They help us to utilise several of our nursing skills and take some pressure of the veterinary surgeons while helping to build owner trust.
During the clinic, an up to date history can be gathered - this includes eating, drinking and toileting habits, medication regimes and activity levels, we can also check if they have demonstrated any signs of hypoglycaemia (if not already reported). This is where diabetic diaries can be helpful as they may be more accurate than the owner's memory over a longer period. The pet should be weighed to ensure they are not gaining or losing weight (or to check they are losing weight but at a steady rate if a weight loss plan has been put into place).
Particularly, with newer diagnosed patients, we can check the owner is happy with insulin storage and administration. Similarly to the discharge appointment we can get them to demonstrate on a soft toy and they should be feeling more confident with injections at this point.
When necessary, and under the instruction of a veterinary surgeon, blood and urine samples can be collected to check things such as glucose and ketone levels but, if the animal has been unwell further testing may be required.
Remember - any concerning findings from the nurse clinic should be relayed to the veterinary surgeon.