Type 2 Diabetes: Pathophysiology, Nursing Responsibilities, and Care

This report provides a comprehensive overview of Type 2 Diabetes, focusing on its pathophysiology, which involves hyperglycemia caused by reduced insulin secretion, insulin resistance, and excessive glucagon secretion. It explores the different types of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes. The report emphasizes the critical role of Registered Nurses (RNs) in the screening, prevention, early detection, and management of Type 2 Diabetes. It details the RN's responsibilities in promoting self-care, providing mental health care, and guiding nutrition and medication management, including oral therapies and insulin. The report also highlights the importance of regular monitoring, including urine and blood glucose monitoring, and the application of professional, legal, and ethical frameworks in diabetes care. References from sources like Diabetes Australia and medical journals support the discussion. The report underscores how RNs empower patients to manage their condition effectively and prevent complications.

Diabetes
Diabetes being a disease causes excessive blood glucose (sugar) levels
while rising it to higher than normal
and hence also called hyperglycemia.
The different types of diabetes include
type 1, type 2, and a condition called
gestational diabetes (Mingrone et al., 2012).
A person’s body
having diabetes, either doe not
generate enough or insulin,
or it can’t use the insulin it does
make very well, or both.
Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes
Type-2 diabetes typically consists of a
series of dysfunctions by hyperglycemia
and causing by the combination of less
insulin secretion, resistance to insulin act,
and excessive glucagon secretion exactly
like in the image shown below (Leroith,
2012):
Understanding Type 2 Diabetes
Foundational nursing concepts of type-2 Diabetes
1.Screening, prevention and early detection of type
2 diabetes
2.Promoting self-care
3.Mental health care
4.Nutrition
5.Urine monitoring
6.Blood glucose monitoring
7.Injectable therapies
Role of RN while providing caring in type-2 Diabetes
The RN plays a vital role in early detection of diabetes and hence
one is able to manage and intervene the patient’s condition early
on. Thus, RNs should have a specialist qualifications in diabetes.
RNs should be qualified to prescribe well (Leroith, 2012). The
RNs require to have a detailed knowledge base of oral therapy and
insulin's. RNs play a role of key professionals while deciding on
treatment’s commencement and type which is appropriate.
Therefore, by a regular screening and constant care, the RNs are
capable to decide when oral medication requires adjusting as well
as when insulin doses require titrating. In this way, RNs play a
major role while providing a high quality service which empowers
patients for managing their condition and avert illness and
hospital admissions.
Professional Frameworks, Legal Codes and
Standards and Ethical Codes of Decision-
Making
Prevention
Identification
Clinical care of adults patients
Empowering humans with diabetes
Clinical care of children and young people
Care of diabetic patients during admission to
hospital
Pregnancy and Diabetes
Management of diabetic emergencies
Management and Detection of long-term
complications (Wang, 2016)
Informed consent and treatment
Legal codes and standards
Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991
The Spam Act 2003
The Privacy Act 1988
Aged Care Act 1997
National Health Act 1953
Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009
References
•Diabetes Australia. (2015) General practice management of type 2 diabetes. [PDF]
Available at: https://static.diabetesaustralia.com.au/s/fileassets/diabetes-australia/
5ed214a6-4cff-490f-a283-bc8279fe3b2f.pdf [Accessed on 17/05/2019].
•Leroith, D. (2012) Pathophysiology of the metabolic syndrome: implications for the
cardiometabolic risks associated with type 2 diabetes. The American journal of the
medical sciences, 343(1), pp.13-16.
•Mingrone, G., Panunzi, S., De Gaetano, A., Guidone, C., Iaconelli, A., Leccesi, L.,
Nanni, G., Pomp, A., Castagneto, M., Ghirlanda, G. and Rubino, F. (2012) Bariatric
surgery versus conventional medical therapy for type 2 diabetes. New England Journal
of Medicine, 366(17), pp.1577-1585.
•Wang, C.C. (2016) Closing the gap in nursing education: Comparing nursing
registration systems in Australia and China. Chinese Nursing Research, 3(1), pp.1-6.