Introduction
As a diabetic educator nurse responsible for the health of the general society as well as that of individuals. My professional goals are to promote, restore and protect health. As a diabetic educator, I possess sufficient knowledge and experience on diabetes management, diabetes prevention and pre-diabetes. My role is to support and educate people who have diabetes. My career is in alignment with preventive measures which is in alignment with health reforms to reduce costs in the healthcare sector.
My mission statement is to assist individuals living with diabetes manage the condition as well as educate the society on how they can prevent diabetes. I have a caring personality, and I feel fulfilled when I help others especially those who are in suffering. Helping people has always been a big part of my life since I was little. I have always wished that there is more I can do to assist others in the society especially the helpless. Children are the worst affected in the society, and being a lover and strong believer in the potential of children in the society, I have always intended to dedicate my life to improve their living conditions.
My vision statement is to see fewer people, and especially children go through the pain that they are forced to endure in diabetic management by educating the society on preventive measures, and ensuring that those who are affected can lead a full life. In the next five years, I hope to reach out to more children in the world especially in developing countries who are affected by diabetes. Diabetes is an expensive condition to manage, as well as disrupting to the life of individuals especially when the patient is a child. In ten years, I hope to roll out worldwide programs which will reach more diabetes patients in the world. Prevention is more expensive than cure, and I believe health promotion programs targeting healthy lifestyles will significantly reduce the number of individuals dealing with diabetes in the society.
Values
I am a staunch Christian, who strongly believes in the value of life. During my practice, I believe that God is watching my actions, which makes me accountable to my clients. I am kind and offer people assistance whenever I can. I am also honest, and my deeds are always for the good of my clients. I strongly believe that God has given each the choice of free will, and therefore I ensure I offer my patients assistance without being judgmental. This value enables me to offer all my client's medical assistance regardless of their race, lifestyle, disability, financial status and spiritual disability.
Principles
I am guided by the principle to do no harm to others. Martin Luther stated that the true measure of a man is his stand during a difficult time and not during times of comfort. I try to ensure consistency and not let tough decisions and difficult times deter me from my purpose in life which is to uphold the health of others. I try to engage patients actively in the program by motivating them and assisting them to participate in active goal setting.
Strengths and weaknesses
I have excellent communication skills which enable me to motivate my clients towards a common goal. One of the most important aspects of a good communicator is the ability to listen to others. By listening to my clients keenly, I can understand them and align my goals as a diabetic educator with theirs. Most of my clients find me trustworthy since I am an honest person. This enables me to build a relationship with them and can influence them in a certain direction (McGrath, 2013). I am a transformational leader who intends to achieve my personal goals through change. I am a self-driven individual who takes the initiative to assist my clients. Am a self-confident individual who keep my emotions in check, decisive and willing to admit when am wrong. I have excellent cognitive abilities which enable me to think through situations in an analytical manner and make strategic decisions . My major weakness is my insufficient business knowledge in the field of diabetic knowledge.
Customer base
My clients include both inpatient and outpatient individuals in the society. Outpatient programs are becoming more common with inpatient being conducted for newly diagnosed clients and those who need inpatient services to get their blood sugar levels under control . This will include people with insurance plans and those who cannot afford medical insurance. I am diabetes educator at one of the private hospitals. Apart from patients within the hospital, we also educate patients from other medical facilities. These are mostly from small health care centers who do not have internal diabetes educators . Clients who request for ours services are expected to pay for these services. However, we also conduct free educational programs for the community. Most of these programs are conducted in schools and in hospitals during major events. These services are availed to at least one institution every week, for free. I am also part of a non-profit organization which is dedicated to availing education on self-care to members of the society who cannot afford these services.
Objectives
My principal role as a diabetic educator is to educate individuals and the society on diabetes, especially to those individuals who have been recently diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes management is mostly concerned with educating individuals on self-care behavior. Most people who are diagnosed with diabetes lack sufficient knowledge on the condition due to financial constraints . I wish to see these individuals gain access to this knowledge despite their financial constraints. I intend to research further in diabetic management in the future and integrate the research conducted by others in the field. I also intend to uphold professionalism and focus on individual case management to increase my expertise and experience as a diabetic educator. Intervention programs to improve the self-care of patients need to be improved. To acquire and increase knowledge in diabetes education and care. I intend to pursue a career advancement in diabetes management. Diabetes management ensures positive outcomes in patients diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes management integrates dosage, monitoring, pharmacotherapy assessment and the complex dynamics involved in self-care and self-management of diabetes patients (Graduate Nursing Organization, 2016). Diabetes management includes assessment of the patient’s cognitive knowledge on diabetes self-management, formulation and implementation of education plans, evaluation of the effectiveness of the education plan and proper documentation of the education plans.
Skills that I wish to improve by the end of the semester
One of the skills I would wish to improve is my decision-making skills. I can achieve this by expanding my knowledge on diabetes, diabetes management, prevention and self-care . Problem-solving skills and coping skills is also another skill that all diabetic educators need to master so that they can offer their patients the education and self-management skills that they need .
Conclusion
In conclusion, the epidemic levels of diabetes in the United States have made successful health management in diabetes a major priority in health care. The need to improve self-care for patients and reduce the costs has seen the need for more diabetic educators and managers, which is in the current preventive measures of the changing health care system. Leadership skills are a necessity in the nursing practice especially for diabetes educators who need to influence individuals towards self-care behaviors and goals. Adequate information on preventive measures and diabetes are needed to influence decision making and change in the field. I intend to conduct more research on intervention programs and increases my expertise through experience and knowledge to improve practice.
References
Dietitians Association of Australia. (2015, 0ctober). THE ROLE OF CREDENTIALLED DIABETES EDUCATORS AND ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETITIANS IN THE DELIVERY OF DIABETES SELF MANAGEMENT AND NUTRITION SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES. Retrieved from Dietitians Association of Australia: http://daa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/ADEA-and-DAA-Joint-Statement-FINAL.pdf
Funnell, M. M. (2011). National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education. Diabetes Care, S89-S96.
Graduate Nursing Organisation. (2016). Diabetes Nurse. Retrieved from Diabetes Nurse: http://www.graduatenursingedu.org/endocrinology-diabetes/
McGrath, M. (2013, April). Managing Diabetes: The Nurse Practitioner’s Role. Retrieved from Science of Caring: http://scienceofcaring.ucsf.edu/acute-and-transitional-care/managing-diabetes-nurse-practitioner%E2%80%99s-role
Shoalhaven Family Medical Centers. (2012). Job Description Credentialed Diabetes Educator – Registered Nurse (Div1). Retrieved from Shoalhaven Family Medical Centers: http://www.employmentoffice.com.au/sites/default/files/ShoalhavenPD.pdf
