Hypoglycemia: Prevention (Nursing)

00:01 Now exercise and activity is important to everyone's overall health.

00:05 So let's develop a practical plan on how you can prevent low blood sugar while you're encouraging your patient to exercise.

00:13 So you want them to check their blood sugar at key times.

00:16 So let's talk about the things that they need to pack in there gym bag.

00:20 See if there we have a picture of a monitor that's something they need to take with them and beneath it, we've got snacks.

00:26 So here's what you'll need them to do: plan, prepare and be ready before they go to their site of exercise.

00:34 Whether it's outdoors or indoors in a gym or in a pool.

00:39 This is what you're going to recommend that they do need them to check their blood sugar before they begin the exercise and then if at any point during the exercise, they start to feel symptomatic, they'll need to check it again.

00:51 That means they've got to have access to the supplies while they're exercising.

00:55 So you need to work out those details with them.

00:58 The next one you see a little snack there.

01:00 Make sure the patient always carries snacks with them so in case they need to treat their hypoglycemia, they'll be able to do that.

01:07 So they should keep some things in there gym bag they're easily available quick to digest just pop in their mouth, they're ready to go.

01:15 Now talk about strategies they may need as far as reducing insulin with their physician.

01:20 So if they have planned exercise days, they're going to need to be consistent with it with the amount, the time, and the effort they put into the exercise that way they can coordinate with the healthcare provider and maybe on those days the insulin actually needs to be adjusted.

01:35 Last, encourage your patient to continue exercising.

01:38 Congratulate them help them know that this takes effort and planning and we know that but it's incredible what it will do for their overall body.

01:46 Remember this is a key factor in helping maintain their blood sugar.

01:52 Now the problem with hypoglycemia and alcohol, encourage your client to always eat food before and with alcohol.

02:00 All see my friend that was celebrating the didn't eat anything before and didn't want to eat anything with, that's where he really got to get into trouble.

02:07 So it's recommended that women should limit alcohol to one drink a day and men limit it to two drinks a day in order to prevent the risk of hypoglycemia.

02:18 Now friends and family can also help prevent severe hypoglycemia.

02:22 You need the people that are in their circle of influence to understand.

02:26 They need to know about the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia.

02:29 They need to know about how food and what they should give the client, should they experience hypoglycemia So see we've got Suzanne right there with her family.

02:38 These are the things that they also need to know, her signs and symptoms, how much food and what type of food is best for her when she has low blood sugar.

02:47 How to inject the glucagon if it gets to that and when to call for emergency help.