The new job is going great! I’m working as a : in the Diabetes Self-Management Clinic at Concord Hospital. I feel like I’ve been incredibly blessed, because this is a position that I hand-picked for myself, and (though it took 6 months) I was able to find a job doing exactly what I wanted to do. I finished Nursing School with an internship at the Utah Diabetes Education Center, and realized this is just the thing for me. For one, I have a pretty sweet office! Dave was impressed that I have not one, but TWO windows! It’s maybe unusual for a nurse to not EVER want to work/be in a hospital, but that’s how I feel-so doing education in an office, one-on-one with patients is ideal. There are about 12 Educators in the office. One other RN does inpatient teaching, and the rest are all dietitians. It is a great, supportive group!Also, I LOVE diabetes education. Diabetes is a unique disease for a few reasons. The one that I like to emphasize with patients is that they have control! By making simple lifestyle modifications like healthy eating and regular exercise, the progress of the disease can be slowed, and sometimes even reversed! It is empowering for a patient to be able to change their behaviors and see a physical change in the physiology of their bodies! My screen saver has the phrase “Save The Toes!” bouncing around the screen. That is the motto of one of the patients that I see. Late stages of diabetes can cause very poor wound healing and sensory loss, which is why some patients experience amputations-this guy was dedicating his self-management to not getting to that point!
I do one-on-one education with patients, some type 1, some type 2, some gestational. They are at various stages of the disease, but with all of them I try to help them discover new ways, or just a renewed interest in managing their disease with nutrition, exercise and medications. I love the autonomy of the job…I pretty much can do/teach/recommend whatever I feel will be effective, and even with medication adjustments, the Primary Care Physicians are very happy to take my recommendations into careful consideration (which usually means they call right back and say to go for it!)
Luckily, it’s easy to learn and study things that are interesting-because Diabetes is pretty specialized, and there are new things coming out all of the time. I learn more every day!
If you have questions about diabetes…the American Diabetes Association has a great website.

(Also, last week I told my boss that I am expecting, and she was super nice! She congratulated me, said she’s sad to be losing me so soon, but that she’d love for me to come back part-time post-baby! Perfect!)