GPSI Diabetes is a Teaching Service

The only diabetes service offering patient centered care in New Zealand

GPSI Diabetes is dedicated to teaching and training other providers not just in the skills of managing the disease of diabetes but also in the skills of providing patient centered care.

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At GPSI Diabetes we believe that every provider within a medical setting should have a good understanding and knowledge of diabetes. Diabetes is epidemic which means that no matter what your area of expertise is, you will regularly be in contact with and/or overseeing the management of someone with diabetes.  

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If  you, as a provider, are going to be responsible for ensuring each patient acquires a sufficient understanding of their disease and its management options, then you need to be well grounded in the pathophysiology of all types of diabetes (not just type 1 and type 2), and have a good understanding of all the management options available.

Education is provided in a number of different formats

The core curriculum requires a total of 6 contact hours. These can be delivered in a number of different formats to meet your needs.

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The most popular arrangement is to have 2 hour sessions once a week for 3 weeks.

However, the course can be just as effectively delivered in a 6 hour seminar in one day.

Course content

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Session 1 (first 2 hours):

 

Introduction:

       Fostering patients self-management for diabetes

       Principles of Patient Centred Care

       Can be applied to all chronic disease management

Basic knowledge and skills of diabetes management

Pathophysiology of diabetes

        Different types of diabetes

        Red flags for a person not being type 1 or type 2

        How do you determine what type of diabetes a person has?

        Use of blood tests (antibodies, C-peptide) to clarrify diagnosis

        Other information that can help to determine type

Making the diagnosis of diabetes (HbA1c, oGTT, FBG)

Diagnostic criteria for diabetes

Determining target HbA1c - individualisation of the target

Oral medications

                When to introduce

                How to escalate

 

 

Session 2 (second 2 hours):

 

Insulins

         Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics

         U-300, U-500

         Insulin mixes

Gold standard management

When to introduce a basal insulin

How to calculate starting dose

How to escalate a basal insulin

When to introduce a bolus insulin

Calculating starting bolus dose

Calculating correction factors –

How to teach a correction factor

The three hour rule

Rule of thirds

The basics of Carb counting

Ratios of Basal to Bolus insulin

Empowering the patient to do their own self-monitoring and their own insulin dose adjustments

Review of insulin delivery equipment (insulin pens, glucose meters, insulin pumps)

How do you manage an insulin pump when someone presents acutely unwell.

 

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Session 3 (final 2 hours):

 

Defining “remission” of diabetes

 

Foods

     How different foods affect blood sugars differently

     The effects of alcohol on blood sugars

     The endocrinology behind weight gain

 

CV Risk

A patient centred approach to CV risk management

       Smoking cessation

       Hypertension

       Cholesterol

       Obesity

Other preventative care

       Dental

       Retinal screening

       Contraception/pregnancy planning

       Flu shot

       Erectile dysfunction

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This Manual is  written specifically to accompany the course. It contains copies of the patient handouts and is a great resource for any provider