Sidney Regional Medical Center

Our Education Program

The diabetes education program covers:

• Patient assessment (prior knowledge/perception of diabetes)
• Glucose monitoring
• Medications and their effectiveness
• Nutritional management
• Importance of physical ativity in controlling blood sugars and weight management
• Managing sick days and diabetes
• Acute complications (hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia)
• Long term complications of diabetes, how to minimize or prevent
• Setting behavioral goals for nutrition, physical activity or weight management

Are you at risk for Type 2 diabetes? Take the risk assessment. Click here for more information on the education program.

Types of Diabetes

Pre-Diabetes

Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have "prediabetes" — blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Doctors sometimes refer to prediabetes as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG), depending on what test was used when it was detected. This condition puts you at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Only 5% of people with diabetes have this form of the disease. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. The body breaks down the sugars and starches you eat into a simple sugar called glucose, which it uses for energy. Insulin is a hormone that the body needs to get glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body. With the help of insulin therapy and other treatments, even young children can learn to manage their condition and live long, healthy lives.

Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a problem with your body that causes blood glucose (sugar) levels to rise higher than normal. This is also called hyperglycemia. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. If you have type 2 diabetes your body does not use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. At first, your pancreas makes extra insulin to make up for it. But, over time it isn't able to keep up and can't make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels.

Gestational Diabetes

During pregnancy – usually around the 24th week – many women develop gestational diabetes. A diagnosis of gestational diabetes doesn't mean that you had diabetes before you conceived, or that you will have diabetes after giving birth. But it's important to follow your doctor's advice regarding blood glucose levels while you're planning your pregnancy, so you and your baby both remain healthy.

Statistics

Total: 34.2 million people or 10.5% of the U.S. population have diabetes.

Diagnosed: 26.9 million people

Undiagnosed: 7.3 million people

Pre-diabetes: 88 million people

New Cases: 1.5 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 18 years and older each year.

Deaths: Diabetes was the 7th leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2017. This ranking is based on the 83,564 death certificates in 2017 in which diabetes was listed as an underlying cause of death.

Co-existing conditions and complications among people with diagnosed diabetes:

• Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia Crisis
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease and stroke
• Blindness
• Kidney disease
• Amputation

Total costs: Diagnosed diabetes (both direct and indirect) in the U.S. in 2017 was estimated to cost $327 billion.

Data from the 2020 National Diabetes Statistics Report, CDC.gov

Diabetes Education Team

The diabetes educators, which consist of the nurse educator, dietitian, and pharmacist, work with your health care provider to assure that you understand your diabetes and that you have the tools and knowledge to manage your Type 1, Type 2, or gestational diabetes. This program does NOT replace your provider, but rather it provides support and education to enhance your self-management regimen for diabetes.

For more information or to schedule a visit please contact:

Samantha Hahn, BSN, RN     308.254.7268 ext. 1812     shahn@sidneyrmc.com

Deeona Johnston, MA, RDN, LMNT     308.254.7268 ext. 1815     djohnston@sidneyrmc.com