Diabetes Self-Management Education Program

Diabetes and You

Diabetes is a very complex disease that requires you to make healthy choices every day.  Those choices include foods you eat, how physically active you are, checking your blood sugar and taking medicines your doctor has prescribed.  Through successful self-management of diabetes, you can feel better and lessen your risk of diabetes complications.

It is common to feel distressed, overwhelmed and to have fears when first diagnosed with diabetes.  Fears of lifestyle changes and life-threatening complications can be overcome with self-management education.  Partnering with a diabetes educator will help you learn how to take care of yourself and discover diabetes health.

Discover Diabetes Health

You Can Do It With Our Help

  • Team up with our diabetes program.
  • Learn how to balance your eating, activity and lifestyle.
  • Learn how to prevent, recognize and treat high and low blood sugars.
  • Make a plan for sick days, develop coping strategies and solve problems.
  • Improve your confidence to manage your diabetes.

 

Creating A Plan For You

Diabetes educators at Underwood-Memorial Hospital are nurses and dietitians who specialize in the care and education of people with diabetes.  Most have earned the Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) credential which requires considerable experience and successful completion of a rigorous national examination.  Diabetes educators realize that diabetes is a very personal disease.  They work with you to create a self-management plan that meets your needs.  In addition, the diabetes educators recognize successful management of diabetes is a team effort.  Your family is encouraged to join you in learning how to make healthy choices in foods and activity.

Elements of Successful Self-Care Behaviors

During the classes diabetes educators help you with seven key behaviors that promote blood glucose control:

  • Eating healthy
  • Being active
  • Monitoring blood glucose
  • Understanding medications
  • Solving problems
  • Reducing risks of complications
  • Coping

 

Meet the Diabetes Team: Empowering Patients to Live Healthier Lives...

We use a team approach to educating our patients with Diabetes.

Marita Schroy, RN, BSN, CDE

Registered Nurse/Certified Diabetes Educator

Program Coordinator: Marita coordinates the diabetes program, keeping educators and patients informed with the most current knowledge related to diabetes care.  She also teaches diabetes classes, provides individual education sessions and leads the monthly diabetes support group.

Mary Bloom, RN, BS, CDE

Mary provides education to both patients in the hospital and to our outpatient diabetes program.  Mary teaches diabetes classes and provides individual education in our program.

Nancy Jones, RN, BSN, CDE

Registered Nurse/Certified Diabetes Educator

Nancy provides education to people with diabetes in the hospital as well as the outpatient program.  Nancy assists patients with self management skills in our group class as well as individual education sessions.

Stephanie Smith, RD, CDE

Registered Dietitian/Certified Diabetes Educator

Stephanie provides nutrition education to both inpatients and outpatients with diabetes.  She assists patients in developing personalized meal plans and teaches patients how to manage their diabetes with nutrition.  She teaches in the group class and individual education sessions.