Type 1: Diabetic nurses - good or bad?

I was told some real nonsense by a nurse at a previous GP's surgery - that as a type 1 diabetic over 50 I only needed to test once a week (!) and that I would probably not need short-acting insulin in the future, as in old age, type 1 diabetes becomes like type 2. (!) After a short argument I left in disgust and refused to see the practice nurse again. I have since switched my GP and the new practice nurse is a sister, (wife of one of the doctors). She is sensible, listens and I have only seen her about medication changes that need to be put on their system.

Most DSNs at hospitals are very busy and in my experience tend to assume everyone is the same. My worst experience was with a DSN who put me on an analogue insulin when I had told her repeatedly that I could not tell when I was hypo on 'human' insulin and preferred to remain with animal insulin. After being hypo with no warning symptoms about four times in two days, I reverted to my previous animal insulin for obvious reasons. The real answer to the problem was to lower the dose, but she was so sure that my 'old-fashioned' insulin was the real culprit, that I think common sense deserted her. I have avoided all DSNs since this to be honest. I trust my own judgement more than theirs. I should add that I was diagnosed at the age of ten, in 1964, so was well-used to taking my own decisions before DSNs or practice nurses existed.

I am 16 and have only been diagnosed for 3 months, therefore am still in paediatric. My DSN has been so helpful and useful! Im hoping that this stay the same when i am moved up to adult!

I've had exceptional ones at previous clinics. Even my last hospital which agreed they did not have enough knowledge.. the nurses were very, very good.. they really cared too. They were knowledgeable but I am odd with my diabetes and it was baffling me as well as them!!-lol.

New hosp, not seen a nurse. Have seen pump educators. The thing I miss when I've needed help before it was always a phone call. Doing things by email is really not a good thing for me.. and this is my hospitals preffered communication tool it appears.
A few of us here have helped each other tgrough the years and not by email. I know going on my pump and then others going on pump too.. when speaking on phone to them I was busy writing down times and levels etc but it was a lot more personal and some of these people are still very close and dear to me. I will never establish the genuineness of care from an email. It is clinical and cold. Exact, that they have records of telling instructions etc but emails do not endear a team partnership to me.

My previous hospitals x 3 for pumps etc have had fabulous consultants, nurses and teams and if they said they would phone etc, they always did.

Guess its early days with new hospital. I think it takes less time to phone and deal with problem than them reading and responding in detail to an email. I think it is so they have detailed records of their instructions...

isjoberg said:

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I also have a very good DSN, she's always at the end of the phone, through text as well. This proved very handy when I was diagnosed before getting any "formal" carbohydrate counting training.

Can't fault my Clinic one bit, Dr's and DSN's are all great!