Insulin management can be a daily ordeal for people with Type 1 diabetes, but especially younger patients who need to keep track of so many factors affecting their little bodies. One nurse recently found a novel approach to connect with a patient struggling with Type 1 diabetes at Primary Children’s Hospital.
Diamond Radivoyevich, RN
Diamond Radivoyevich, RN, was working with the young patient in the diabetes clinic when the patient became very emotional while trying to learn to use his insulin pump. Seeing he needed a little more support and understanding, Diamond remembered the patient’s love for video games and came up with a unique approach to diabetes management by connecting it to the patient’s favorite pastime.
Diamond’s compassionate instincts kicked in and she explained how the buttons on his insulin pump were like buttons on his game controller.
“If you hit the right buttons during a game, you’re able to jump, run fast, and fight,” she explained to the patient. “And just like in a video game, your insulin pump doesn't do what you want it to unless you push the buttons to dose and give a correction. It’s the same as wanting to keep your characters healthy and able to do the things you want in the game. You have to take care of them by feeding them and giving them powers. You have to test your blood sugar and dose for food so you have energy and power too.”
Diamond’s creative example put diabetes care into perspective for this patient and he left the clinic feeling much better about the daily tasks ahead of him. About a week later, the patient’s provider received an email from the patient’s mom telling them how grateful she was for Diamond. She said her son couldn’t stop talking about the nurse who made diabetes management exciting. Since that crucial visit to the clinic, the patient has been managing his diabetes much better and is coping with his disease in a much more resilient way.
“Diamond is an awesome example to all of us about helping patients cope with hard situations by communicating within a context they can understand,” says Shelley Egley, system director of patient advocacy. “Seeing care through the lens of our patients helps us have empathy and address barriers that prevent them from living their healthiest lives. This example shows how compassionate connections can improve both the experience and quality of care received by our patients.”
Get more information, training, and tools on the Compassionate Connections website.