Today I had a pre-assessment for some impending surgery, nothing major but still requiring general anaesthetic. I have specifically requested that my pump not be disconnected during surgery as my control is good and I don't feel it to be necessary.
However, the general ward nurses are quite ignorant to the insulin pump and its management as are many health professionals. This is not a slur on their professional capabilities but more due to their usually not having to interact with pump users because there control is that much better and they rarely end up in situations requiring professional attention. The staff nurse taking my information said they would be monitoring my bloods constantly on the ward and if there was any cause for concern they would immediately set up a sliding scale and no they wouldn't interfere with my pump.
Now I'm no healthcare professional but I know what a sliding scale is and how dangerous that would be to have running at the same time as my pump is pumping. I asked about this but she answered in a very contradictory manner suggesting her lack of knowledge regarding the pump. This coupled with the surgeon's apparent desire to stop my metformin at least 2 days before. She didn't understand the concept of constant delivery of insulin by the pump and kept asking me to write down my daily doses. In the end I wrote her out a 24 hr summary of all my hourly doses which vary by the hour. She asked for an average but I explained that an average would be no good when the dose can vary by up to a whole unit by the hour.
I know that there are only approx 38 pumpers in my PCT area and it is a large area so it is highly likely that the surgical wards have never seen a pump user but all this has me very concerned that they will either not abide by my wishes to leave me connected to the pump or react to any discrepancies with their own methods and leave the pump connected!
Has anyone got any experience of pump and GA surgery and recommendations for the best approach. Should I just let them get on with it?
roo
However, the general ward nurses are quite ignorant to the insulin pump and its management as are many health professionals. This is not a slur on their professional capabilities but more due to their usually not having to interact with pump users because there control is that much better and they rarely end up in situations requiring professional attention. The staff nurse taking my information said they would be monitoring my bloods constantly on the ward and if there was any cause for concern they would immediately set up a sliding scale and no they wouldn't interfere with my pump.
Now I'm no healthcare professional but I know what a sliding scale is and how dangerous that would be to have running at the same time as my pump is pumping. I asked about this but she answered in a very contradictory manner suggesting her lack of knowledge regarding the pump. This coupled with the surgeon's apparent desire to stop my metformin at least 2 days before. She didn't understand the concept of constant delivery of insulin by the pump and kept asking me to write down my daily doses. In the end I wrote her out a 24 hr summary of all my hourly doses which vary by the hour. She asked for an average but I explained that an average would be no good when the dose can vary by up to a whole unit by the hour.
I know that there are only approx 38 pumpers in my PCT area and it is a large area so it is highly likely that the surgical wards have never seen a pump user but all this has me very concerned that they will either not abide by my wishes to leave me connected to the pump or react to any discrepancies with their own methods and leave the pump connected!
Has anyone got any experience of pump and GA surgery and recommendations for the best approach. Should I just let them get on with it?
roo
