Patients who have diabetes are being reminded to take their medication with them when they are admitted to hospital, as part of a new Insulin Safety Week initiative.
At any one time, around 18 -26% of inpatients at Yeovil Hospital have diabetes, many, of whom are using insulin.
Diabetes is a serious condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes require regular insulin injections for the rest of their life. Many people with type 2 diabetes will also require insulin injections to maintain good blood glucose control.
Rhia Creighton, Diabetes Specialist Nurse at Yeovil Hospital, said: “It’s important patients with diabetes take their own medication with them when they go into hospital to ensure they can continue with the same insulin regime without delay.
“Some patients have their insulin administered by community nursing teams so may be unaware of their own dosage and insulin type.”
Emily Harrod, Diabetes Specialist Nurse said: “Although we have a process to determine what to prescribe if a patient doesn’t know their own dosage or insulin type, it is definitely preferable that patients take control of their own condition if able to do so. If someone has a planned stay in hospital, then we would hope they would come prepared with their own medication and community nursing records.”
As part of Insulin Safety Week (20th – 25th May), the diabetes team will be hosting awareness stands outside the canteen to provide advice and guidance for staff and members of the public.
While in hospital, the clinical staff will always support patients with their medication but where the patient is well enough, we will always encourage them to self-manage.
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This post was written by Communications Team
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