Diabetes Specialist Nurse

Using diabetes care guidelines to perform a comprehensive Diabetes assessment of adults referred to the Diabetes service with diverse presentations and complex physical and medical conditions, to provide a clinical diagnosis and develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme. Undertake new/triage, follow up clinics and structured education. Maintain effective communication with patients, carers and professionals to ensure seamless service delivery, and to act as a first line contact resource, using developed specialised knowledge underpinned with experience and theoretical knowledge for diabetes related issues. Be able to empower people with diabetes to self-care, such as starting people on insulin therapy where English is not a first language. Supporting those dealing with complications associated with diabetes, eg loss of vision, amputation, heart attacks etc. To participate in diabetes Clinics, formulating individualised patient treatment care programmes in conjunction with the patient, multidisciplinary team and initiating changes in management of care. Assessing patients diabetes needs, identifying physical, psychological, physiological, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs in relation to their condition and proposed treatment. Provide a pathway of diabetes specialist nursing care for the patient, referring to secondary care, multidisciplinary teams and voluntary services unsupervised. To act as a clinical expert in advising patients who present with diabetes related problems and provide clinical advice and support to community-based staff and junior members of the team. To request and interpret diagnostic investigations and inform patients and GPs of results. To act as the patients, advocate when relevant and educate on all the treatment options to enable a patient to make an informed choice, negotiating with the medical team to agree a care pathway. To ensure patients, carers and health care professionals are given verbal and written information regarding planned care.