People with diabetes do not get sick or ill more often than people who do not have diabetes, but they are more likely to be admitted to hospital. There are some measures that can be taken to try and prevent admission, but it is important to seek advice.
Managing hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia
- You can request to see the hospital’s policies for the management of hypo and hyperglycaemia. The approach for how these will be managed should be discussed and agreed with you in your care plan.
- You should be able to access your own treatments to manage a hypo. If this is not possible, the appropriate hospital staff should be able to provide you with suitable and timely treatments.
- If you do experience hyperglycaemic (high blood glucose) levels and you are not able to adjust your own medication, you should have access to timely treatment to stabilise your blood glucose levels.
- Following an episode, ongoing monitoring will be required to ensure your blood glucose levels return to normal.
Blood glucose monitoring, including self monitoring blood glucose
Responsibility for monitoring can be shared between you and your hospital team. The approach to monitoring should be agreed and recorded in your hospital care plan. You should have access to your own blood glucose monitoring and quality control equipment.
- If you are self-monitoring you may be asked to record your levels on a blood glucose chart(s).
- The range and level of your blood glucose levels should be discussed and agreed with you in partnership with the hospital and diabetes specialist teams and recorded in your care plan.
Your medications and treatments
- If you wish to use your own medications during your hospital stay this should have been agreed and recorded in your care plan. If you are not able to use your own medications your hospital team should ensure that your medications are given to you at the appropriate times.
- Unless impractical, you should be given the opportunity to check that the medications on the prescription chart are correct.
Changes to your diabetes treatments
Not all people will experience a change to their diabetes treatments during their hospital stay. However there may be occasions where a change to your diabetes treatment(s) is required in order to better stabilise your diabetes control, for example:
- If you are normally treated with tablets, you may find that you are given insulin.
- Both people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes may find that they are given a glucose/insulin drip into a vein.
Access to food and food timings
- Wherever possible, you should be able to make your own food choices.
- If you have any religious dietary requirements, these should be accommodated.
- Your medications and meal times should be co-ordinated appropriately. This will vary according to your treatment regime.
- You can request to speak to a hospital dietitian to support you with food choices
- Depending on the nature of your stay (eg post surgery), a hospital dietitian may need to specify your dietary requirements.
Reviewed March 2010
Next review September 2011