Managing Diabetes at School
Diabetes (type 1 or type 2) affects about 208,000 (0.25%) of all people younger than 20 years in the United States. Ensuring that students with diabetes have the health services they need in school to manage their chronic condition is important in helping them stay healthy and ready to learn. Managing diabetes at school is most effective when there is a partnership among students, parents, school nurse, health care providers, teachers, counselors, coaches, transportation, food service employees, and administrators. Support may include helping a student take medications, check blood sugar levels, choose healthy foods in the cafeteria, and be physically active.
As the school nurse, my main role is to support and educate students with any chronic condition. At this point in time, there is no cure for diabetes (but I believe their will be one day!), and I want to ensure that students are comfortable in managing their care. I am a firm believer in creating independence and teaching students how to take ownership of their own health. Diabetic students who have shown competency, are not required to visit the health office everyday, but are ALWAYS welcome to come down. Testing in the classroom and reporting their glucose numbers through BlueLoop is a great way for a student and the school nurse (or even parent) to communicate without interrupting the school day. For this reason, diabetic students are allowed to have access to their cell phones or iPads anytime throughout the day.
Any student diagnosed with a form of diabetes should have a completed Medication Authorization Form and Diabetes Orders Form. These students are encouraged to carry their own supplies, BUT there should always be a second set of supplies located in the health office.
The school nurse is the primary point of care for diabetic students, but as a backup, there are delegated care aides (DCAs) in each building. A DCA is a staff member who has volunteered to become trained in how to care for diabetic students in the school setting. They will understand how to calculate carbohydrate ratios, what to do should a student experience symptoms of hypoglycemia, and how to promote independence. They can be an excellent resource for a diabetic student who may not want to travel to the health office!
Resources:
For more information on diabetes, check out the CDC webpage or the American Diabetes Association site.