Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that mainly affects the metabolism of carbohydrates in the body. Diabetes mellitus exists in two types, type I and II, which affect children and adults respectively. While type I diabetes mellitus occurs due to insufficient production of insulin, type II diabetes mellitus occurs due to the insensitivity of cells and tissues to the normal levels of insulin in the body. Hence, in both cases, diabetic patients require critical skills for the management of varied diabetic conditions. Depending on the physical ability, socioeconomic status, cultural needs, family background, and the nature of diabetes mellitus among diabetic patients, nurse educators experience huge challenges in trying to satisfy the diverse needs of diabetic patients. In the case study, Mr. Allen is experiencing challenges when teaching diabetic patients who have hearing difficulties and visual impairments. Therefore, this essay examines effective methods of teaching diabetic patients with hearing loss and visual impairment concerning self-management of diabetes mellitus.
Teaching methods and hearing loss
Since diabetes mellitus affects both children and adults, patients have different literacy levels. Hence, among adult diabetic patients who have hearing loss, written information is an effective teaching method that nurse educators can use in getting across critical information necessary for the management of their diabetic conditions. By writing instructions on the board, diabetic patients can comfortably read and follow them. Written information offers the most accurate method of teaching because diabetic patients can apply written information correctly in the management of diabetes. The use of visual aids is another effective method of teaching diabetic patients who are deaf. This method is mainly applicable to children and adults who are illiterate. In applying this method, nurse educators can develop sign language that entails facial expressions and hand gestures, which diabetic patients understand regarding diabetes mellitus and its management. Moreover, nurse educators can use videos and charts in demonstrating ways of managing diabetes mellitus.
Self-administration and visual impairment
Administration of insulin is a routine exercise that patients with diabetes mellitus perform. However, if diabetic patients have visual impairments, they experience challenges in the self-administration of insulin. Thus, nurse educators should teach patients with visual impairments how to perform self-administration of insulin in an accurate and timely manner. The use of adaptive loading gauges can enable diabetic patients who have visual impairments to perform self-administration of insulin with the required accuracy. Adaptive loading gauges are easy to use because diabetic patients who are blind utilize a thumb-wheel, which measures insulin based on the number of clicks that a patient can hear or feel. The adaptive gauges are applicable when drawing insulin from vials. Additionally, diabetic patients who are blind can use insulin pens, which are pre-filled syringes that contain a specific amount of insulin. Thus, nurse educators should teach blind patients how to use adaptive gauges and insulin pens accurately.
Attributes that affect learning
The physical, visual, hearing and mental attributes of diabetic patients have enormous impacts on their ability to learn about the management of diabetes mellitus. Diabetic patients with varied physical disabilities are unable to learn or perform self-administration of insulin and other activities, which are critical in the management of diabetes mellitus. Visual impairments affect learning among diabetic patients because they cannot read or watch instructions, thus, preventing them from learning how to self-administer insulin accurately and timely. Diabetic patients with hearing difficulties cannot learn well since they are unable to follow verbal instructions. Ultimately, the mental conditions of diabetic patients determine how they learn. Mentally disabled patients with diabetes mellitus face great challenges when learning, as they cannot perform self-management of diabetes mellitus. Therefore, these attributes have a considerable influence on the learning abilities of diabetic patients.