Carbohydrate Content of Meal Trays | Clinical Knowledge Topics & CIS Tools | Pharmacy (Insulin) Initiatives | Standardized Diabetes Nursing Education
Since 2015, the DON SCN has been working to improve and standardize how patients with diabetes are cared for in Alberta hospitals. Several quality improvement projects are part of this overarching effort, including those listed below.
AHS Nutrition and Food Services collaborated with the DON SCN to improve diabetes menus and provide the carbohydrate content of meal tray menu items for patients with diabetes.
This work involved:
Supported by Clinical Knowledge and Content Management (CKCM), the DON SCN has prioritized several Clinical Knowledge Topics related to diabetes management. These are best practice, evidence-informed clinical guidance for defined diseases/conditions, specific patient populations or segments of a clinical pathway.
Clinical Knowledge Topics are available for:
Basal Bolus Insulin Therapy
Diabetes Ketoacidosis (DKA)
Diabetes in Pregnancy (In-Hospital Order Sets)
Insulin Pump Therapy
Perioperative Management of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Canada notes that insulin is consistently one of the top 3 causes of medication errors in hospitals. This initiative focuses on reducing these errors through provincial medication safety practice changes.
To address these concerns provincial medication safety implemented:
The DON SCN supported Clinical Nurse Educators from across Alberta in co-developing and standardizing nursing education for diabetes management in hospital. This included topics such as the coordination of glucose monitoring with meal delivery and medication administration.
An interactive Diabetes Learning Module is available on the AHS staff learning platform.
For information, contact don.scn@ahs.ca
