Date

7-2020

Department

School of Nursing

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Chair

Vickie Moore

Keywords

Hypoglycemia, Incidence, Diabetes, Nursing Education, Insulin, Inpatient

Disciplines

Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing

Abstract

Hypoglycemia can cause an array of outcomes including increased morbidity, mortality, and hospital length of stay. The literature revealed specific educational methods effective in decreasing hypoglycemia including case-based learning tutorials and unit-based lectures. Focused nursing education regarding the cause of hypoglycemia and understanding the importance of provider notification of hypoglycemia was also shown in the literature to reduce rates of hypoglycemia. The purpose of this project was to decrease inpatient hypoglycemia incidence utilizing a unit-based educational seminar as an intervention on a diabetic renal unit within a hospital. While anticipating a decreased hypoglycemia incidence after the educational seminar, an increased incidence was found, revealing the complexity of hypoglycemia occurrence. During preintervention time 32.2 hypoglycemia cases occurred per 1,000 patient days within the DRMU prior to the educational intervention. The post-intervention results revealed 36.9 hypoglycemia cases per 1,000 patient days. There was also an increased knowledge level from participating RN, LPN, and CNAs, as evidenced by an increase in test score averages after the educational seminar. Limitations of this study included sample size, the new onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a lack of periodic internal reports to nursing staff regarding the process of hypoglycemia reduction.

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