Inpatient care for children with diabetes: are standards being met?

Archives of Disease in Childhood
J A EdgeDebbie Sims

Abstract

Hospital inpatient care is frequently mentioned by parents as unsatisfactory for children with diabetes. Ward staff are now less familiar with diabetes, as admissions are less common and diabetes management is more intensive. To compare current practice with Department of Health Children's Diabetes Working Group care standards. This audit surveyed the organisation of inpatient care for children with diabetes in three regional networks in southern England, and was funded by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership. All 27 services completed the questionnaire. Protocols for diabetic ketoacidosis, surgery, new diagnosis and hypoglycaemia were generally available on wards (70% had all four protocols) but less available in emergency departments (EDs) (52%). Trained children's nurses worked on every shift in children's wards (100%) but not necessarily in EDs (33%). Diabetes link nurses were identified on 74% of wards and 61% of high-dependency units (HDUs), and diabetes specialist nurses have inpatient liaison in their job description (89%) and working role (93%). Standards achieved less often were access to dietetic advice on wards (37%), education sessions for ED and ward staff, and informing diabetes team (only 26% within 2 ...Continue Reading

Citations

Nov 14, 2012·Diabetic Medicine : a Journal of the British Diabetic Association·J A EdgeD Sims
Mar 19, 2013·The Journal of Pediatrics·Perrin C White, Bryan A Dickson
Aug 2, 2013·American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists·Daniel J CobaughMichael Cohen

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