Shift Work v's Diabetes

[SamW]

Hello

My husband is a type 1 diabetic and has been for nearly 10 years. He has worked for a well known supermarket chain for just a little longer than this.

They have made a couple of adjustments over the years, like letting him work in the chilled foods section which makes it easier for him to control his blood sugar levels. But lately they keep changing the shifts in which he works - usually several times within the week.

For instance, last week he worked:

4am to 12 noon
4am to 12 noon
9am to 5pm
1pm to 10pm
8am to 5pm

I find these times a bit too random. I'm worried that on Monday morning he's doing his morning insulin around 3am and then on Thursday he's not doing his morning insulin till around 10am and then on Friday it's back to 7am.

Surely this can't be good for him and I was wondering if there was something in writing he could pass to his manager to make his shifts a little less random?

Thanks
Sam.

 

[Dollyrocker]

Assuming he's on a basal/bolus regime he should be taking his insulin at the same time every day regardless of what shifts he is working.

I know it's not particularly convenient but can he not set an alarm for when his injection is needed and do it regardless of where he is?

 

[noblehead]

Sam,

When you say morning insulin, what do you mean then (assuming his on a basal/bolus doses) is it his basal (long-acting) or his bolus (quick acting) injection before breakfast?

Nigel

 

[cugila]

I don't really see the shift pattern as a problem. He just has to adjust his injection times to suit HIS regime. Surely he can inject whilst at work rather than in the early hours etc.

The Employer just needs to make a 'reasonable adjustment' so he is able to inject and test at work. That's what most Diabetic's on Insulin usually do. There has to be a compromise between Employee and Employer.

Ken