Elements and Performance Criteria
- Provide diabetes care within the context of the Australian health care environment
- Work with an understanding of levels of diabetes care provided in the Australian health care system
- Apply an awareness of sources of funding for diabetes related services
- Apply an awareness of implications of demographic changes in Australian society as they impact on diabetes related health issues across the lifespan
- Recognise complementary roles of organisations and individuals involved in the support and delivery of diabetes care
- Interact effectively with referring agencies and community organisations in providing diabetes care
- Work with an understanding of the role of specialist services in long-term client care to achieve identified outcomes
- Contribute to the multi-disciplinary health care team in the holistic management of client care
- Work with an understanding of legal, ethical and health policy issues related to diabetes care delivery
- Assess the needs of clients with diabetes
- Apply an understanding of the pathophysiology of diabetes
- Address common nursing needs of clients with diabetes
- Use a range of contemporary assessment tools, resources and strategies relevant to client care needs, accurately and in accordance with the health unit policy
- Initiate holistic nursing assessment, incorporating review of previous history, current situation and treatment regimes
- Determine client understanding of their condition, self management and medications
- Identify possible factor/s or significant alterations impacting on client health
- Identify level of knowledge and understanding of identified significant other/s and their involvement in client's diabetes care
- Plan diabetes care in consultation/collaboration with the health care team
- Ensure nursing care plan reflects specific diabetic care requirements in accordance with health unit policy
- Ensure care plan reflects client's current nursing needs and nursing actions designed to maximise client's function and minimise potential complications
- Ensure planned care and therapeutic interventions aim to assist client/s to achieve optimal health outcomes
- Discuss the plan of care with client and/or identified significant other/s, and other members of the health care team
- Identify health promotion and client education sessions on the nursing care plan
- Undertake ongoing case management or discharge planning in accordance with health unit policy and in consultation/collaboration with the health care team
- Perform complex nursing interventions to assist clients in achieving and maintaining optimal diabetes health
- Prioritise interventions for clients according to their needs
- Reorganise priorities as required to reflect changes in nursing workload
- Promote the partnership between the client and the nurse in implementing health teaching and self management
- Administer medications safely based on sound knowledge of the principles of drug actions and side effects in accordance with health unit policies and procedures
- Evaluate, interpret and communicate the client's blood and urine results relating to diabetes function to the health care team
- Liaise with Registered Nurses and other members of the health care team about alterations in conditions and ongoing client support
- Evaluate the plan of care for clients with acute and/or chronic presentation diabetes
- Critically review the care plan and modify according to client progress toward planned outcomes in consultation/collaboration with health care team
- Evaluate client understanding of their condition, ongoing management and therapies either prior to discharge or in accordance with health unit policy depending on the clinical environment responsible for care delivery
- Assess client acceptance of health teaching and management of ongoing care needs
- Assess and review understanding by identified significant other/s of the client's current condition and ongoing management
- Ensure client and identified significant other/s are aware of available community resources and how to access them