Promoting Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Devices at a Pediatric Clinic through Online Education and Peer Support

Abstract

Type One Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) poses social and health threats to the lives of many individuals. In the past, management of diabetes mellitus has revolved around the use of Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose devices such as fingersticks. Today, advancement in diabetes technology has led to the innovation of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices, which has drastically influenced how diabetes is treated. The leaders of this DNP project hoped to bring awareness of CGM to young people with diabetes and provide resources that would assist them in making informed decisions about how to manage this illness. Because CGM use continues to be lowest among young people (Tanenbaum et al., 2018), an educational program titled the Level-Up Workshop was developed to improve how this population perceives and uses CGM devices. The Level-Up Workshop was a virtual educational workshop designed to provide education on CGM use to youth with T1DM receiving diabetes-related care from a pediatric clinic. Workshop activities were geared towards improving problem-solving, trouble-shooting, and social support. Two workshop sessions were implemented and during each session, participants engaged in a series of activities led by a diabetic educator, a CGM device representative, and young people with T1DM. Recruitment to the workshops was challenging, and a total of 4 young people were eventually enrolled. Both patients and staff participants were positive about the experience. Despite the low number of participants, the format of this project shows promise as a means of educating young people with diabetes.