Basically, we’re all educators.

Yesterday and today I spent the day at the outpt diabetes self-management center. Interestingly enough, I arrived Tuesday to find out the two full-time R.D.s were going to be working from the health department and hospital, so they weren’t going to be at the center all week, and I was to spend the days with Lynn, the R.N. at the center. She said not to worry, since her and the R.D.s were “cross-trained” so they all performed the clinical and nutrition assessments on incoming clients. Hmmm. Interesting. So I observed the R.N. complete the nutrition assessment on a few clients; thankfully, all of whom were strangely self-motivated and in good-standing health despite their recent diabetes Dx.

The center was different than I envisioned. It was very small considering the size of Moore Regional, and the amount of referrals this place got. Two R.D.s, one R.N. and an administrative assistant run the whole place (since the two R.D.’s were out for the week, the R.N. and administrative assistant were the only ones in the office). Classes are provided several times a week, and program participants are scheduled to come in and attend 10 total classes to graduate from the program. The classes cover everything from foot care, meal planning and physical activity.

Today the center was going to do an educational presentation at the senior community center, so Lynn asked if I’d like to give it. So I spoke with a group of 20 seniors about Diabetes management and prevention, and general meal planning and nutrition. It turned out pretty good, actually, and I got a lot of good questions at the end that I was actually able to answer :).

Tomorrow Lynn arranged for me to meet up with Jon, an R.D., CDE and a former dietetic intern who ended up staying in the area. He’s working from one of the other area hospitals doing diabetes ed stuff, so I’m interested to see how that differs from what the inpt R.D.’s do and what the outpt center does.