Diabetes and Evidence-based Nursing Research Paper

Diabetes and Evidence-based Nursing - Research Paper Example The day following his admission, his blood sugar level was more than 999. As a patient advocate, I was concerned for the patient’s treatment and I approached the patient and his wife about seeking a second opinion from an Endocrinologist. I recommended this with the hope of ensuring that they would gain the best possible care for the patient’s condition. The couple agreed and several weeks later returned to thank me for making the recommendation. The patient was diagnosed by the Endocrinologist with Flatbush Diabetes which is a rare form of diabetes presenting among African-American males. It calls for insulin administration for a short period of time and later to be shifted to oral diabetic medications. When untreated, it can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. The nursing situation in this case is based on the appropriate care of the diabetic patient, on the assistance given in the administration of the patient medications, and on the monitoring of the patient’s vit al signs, diet, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. Since the patient’s blood sugar levels were not sufficiently being lowered by the oral medications, the nursing role extends to patient advocacy – helping protect the rights of patients and ensuring that they receive the best possible care. ... B. Description of Medical/health Condition Insulin is the hormone which regulates the uptake of glucose from the blood into the cells of the body (Medical News 2011). Deficient insulin or issues with its receptors therefore play a crucial role in the manifestation and development of diabetes mellitus. Most carbohydrates in food are broken down into monosaccharide glucose, which is the main carbohydrate which is found in the blood and used as fuel by the body (Medical News, 2011). When blood glucose levels in the body are high, insulin is released in the blood by the beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Insulin is then utilized by the body’s cells in order to absorb glucose from the blood and use as fuel, and later for conversion to other molecules, and for storage (Medical News, 2011). Insulin also serves as the control signal for the conversion of glucose to glycogen for internal storage in the liver and the muscle cells. Decreased glucose level leads to re duced release of insulin. This then leads to the reverse conversion of glycogen to glucose. Glucose is mostly managed by the glucagon which then acts in opposition to insulin. Glucose recovered by the liver is re-introduced into the bloodstream; the muscle cells do not have the necessary capacity for export (Medical News, 2011). Significant insulin levels highlight the anabolic processes, including cell growth and duplication, protein synthesis, and fat storage. Insulin serves as the main signal in the conversion of bidirectional processes of metabolism from the catabolic to the anabolic direction, and vice versa (Medical News, 2011). In effect, low insulin levels trigger the onset of