Week 6: Conducting Post-Surveys and Observing Diabetes Education Teaching Styles

Hey hey hey! Welcome to Week 6, more than halfway to the finish line. This week I was able to divide both my time in the Emergency Department, working on my research paper, and observing Inpatient Diabetes Education at the Main Hospital. 

Earlier in the week, I started off with my shift in the Emergency Department, collecting data from patients seen previously last week, with the collaboration of Dr. Srinivas. After receiving the data from comprehension questions, I proceeded to obtain phone numbers of the patients seen over a month ago in the E.D. from my external advisor. Over the phone, I was able to conduct post-surveys, gauging patients’ understanding acquired after diabetes educational sessions. 

With these phone calls, I encountered multiple challenges, with having to call back multiple times. There was also an added obstacle of language barriers. I had to kindly request family members translate every question and options I asked patients. 

Later on in the week, I accompanied the Inpatient Diabetes Educator from the Outpatient Diabetes Clinic, observing patients that were brought into diabetes related complications. 

A patient in particular inspired me. She was a female patient in her 70s, with a medical history of having an A1C level between 8 and 9 (diabetes range), reducing her A1C level to 6 (prediabetes range) over the course of two years. This was a result of her discipline with effective application of eating balanced meals and consistent exercise, such as taking walks around her neighborhood after each meal. Additionally, I was able to observe the teaching style of the diabetes educator and classify it as a Q&A interactive teaching style. The educator asked deeper and more personal medical questions after getting to know the patient and their concerns. With my observations and information collected at the clinic and main hospital, I was able to write my “In-patient Diabetes Education” section of my research paper.

Lastly, I was able to witness an up-close demonstration of the application of the lancet and glucose meter device. A lancet, a cutting instrument that makes small incisions, is used with a glucose meter, which measures the blood sugar levels from the blood obtained by the lancet. I even tried and practiced on myself!

Next week, I look forward to continuing to contact patients over the phone for my follow-up surveys. Thank you for reading, and make sure to keep your blood sugars in check!