A 36-year-old woman had diabetes diagnosed at a free health-screening

A 36-year-old woman had diabetes diagnosed at a free health-screening program at a large employer. Which of the following should be emphasized by the nurse when helping the woman make an appointment at the diabetic clinic for follow-up testing and treatme

a. “Bring a food diary of everything you’ve eaten for one week with you to the appointment to help with future meal planning.”
b. “It’s really not that hard to learn how to inject insulin, and it really doesn’t hurt.”
c. “Please encourage all your family members, including your parents, to be tested for diabetes as well.”
d. “They’ll teach you how to manage your meals and medications to stay healthy.”

ESSAYBID ANSWER

ANS: C
Although the nurse might make any of these comments, it is particularly important that the rest of the family also get tested. Any problem that affects one or more family members probably affects other family members and the family as a whole. Commonalities in risk factors and diseases shared by family members can lead to case finding within the family. Because families often choose similar foods and engage in similar lifestyle behaviors, they all are at similar risk for problems such as diabetes. The earlier the diagnosis and treatment, the more likely it is that secondary problems can be avoided.