Design Journal on Diabetes Care in Tennessee
Design Thinking Steps
1. To emphatize means to identify a problem that concerns daily activities of people.
2. To design means to create a solution that will address the identified problem.
3. To ideate means to
ain storm and sketch how the solution will be provided; or what methods are useful.
4. To create a prototype is similar to creating or implementing the best solution identified about a problem.
5. The results will reveal the effectiveness of the solution and can be used for evaluative purposes.
Focus: The focus of this study is to increase awareness about proper diabetes care for families with members diagnosed with Type II Diabetes to improve the outpatient family care they receive which can mimic those activities provided by nurses (snhu, n.d.).
December 09, 2019
Diabetes has become a common healthcare problem in most states. It was reported to be the seventh prominent cause of death in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). In Tennessee alone an approximate 817,852 people have diabetes. As estimated, at least a third of them are not aware that they have such condition, which can worsen their health risk (American Diabetes Association, n.d.). These statistics would show that there is a lack of awareness and solution regarding diabetes and how serious its health implications would be on people who are diagnosed with it (American Diabetes Association, 2016).
Diabetes is a healthcare problem wherein a sugar starts to build in a person’s blood because his body stops making insulin, as it should, or the body does not use it, as it should (Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes). This has serious health implications such as high-risk factor for heart attack and stroke. As such, there is a need for programs and health assistance to prevent, cure, and take better maintenance for people diagnosed with it. In 2016, $1,313,541 was spent by the Division of Diabetes Translation of CDC to provide diabetes prevention and educational programs in Tennessee (ADA, n.d.). Several nationwide projects were implemented too in the state. Despite these efforts, the mortality rate of diabetes in our state continues to increase. In my observance of our community, environmental disparity makes the prevalence of diabetes worse in Tennessee.
While diabetes is a common health problem for many, its treatment must not be typical – there is a need for serious attention to this matter. It is quite a shock that a high percentage of Tennessee’s budget for health was allocated for diabetes. Statistics and people diagnosed with it would show no evidence of significant improvement in health care. The initiative, however, is a good start to find a better way to solve the problem of a high prevalence of diabetes in Tennessee. Since this health issue has been given priority in the government budget, what must be done is to maximize the budget to improve the treatment and prevention of diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018).
Reflection
· What have you learned? The prevalence of Diabetes type II across Tennessee, and how environment disparities affect the prevalence of diabetes throughout the community.
· What surprises you? Despite the budget allocation for diabetes, no significant improvement in health care provisions are observed for diabetic patients.
· How can you improve your design? Conduct a face-to-face interview about their patient-care experiences, and ask them which among the patient-care activities satisfy them the most.
· What is going well? Initial studies about the status of diabetes in Tennessee.
· What concerns you? The availability of diabetes patients for interview as well as their privacy concerns.
· What new thoughts do you have now that you did not have at the start? To create a questionnaire that is not exhaustive but is rather personal yet emphatic in approach.
December 15, 2019
After days of reviewing the literature while socializing and conversing with people in Tennessee, there are identified key points by which improvement of health care for people diagnosed with diabetes can be done. The problem of diabetes prevalence in Tennessee lies in the fact that while there is a huge budget allocation for it, environmental disparity and social determinants still play a big role (Department of Health, XXXXXXXXXXFurthermore, the health care system must be improved such that specialization in diabetes care must be developed.
According to the Department of Health and CDC, the settings in which people reside and work are very important factors to address in trying to come up with a solution for diabetes. (DOH, 2019; CDC, XXXXXXXXXXAlongside developing, the health care system must be community development. This kind of approach is called the Hy
id approach (Horowitz & Lawlor, XXXXXXXXXXCommunity development has its focus on policies that must be created and/or reformed such that disparities housing, environmental, employment, educational, and social services must be addressed.
As for the health care system, diabetes care concepts must be understood well by health practitioners and be conveyed to people as well. When people diagnosed with diabetes were asked how much they know about the risk and what must be done to prevent it, most of them answered ‘very least’. Such concern can be addressed by implementing a patient-centered approach. This approach suggests that health practitioners who wish to train families about family patient care must learn to integrate into their health care practice the “patient’s preferences, assessed literacy and numeracy, and addressed cultural ba
iers” (ADA, XXXXXXXXXXSuch an approach would allow for treatment decisions that would meet the evidence-based guidelines as well as the patient’s needs.
Emphasizing and Documenting:
The documentation was done through face-to-face survey, which required the respondents to share some of their patient-care experiences in and out of hospital settings; moreover, they were tasked to answer a few information about their social interactions, daily life, and other information about their family to determine the appropriateness of family care program to the patient’s family.
P-O-V Statement: Families of those with Type II diabetes need a way to learn appropriate family patient care because many patients are struggling to receive the appropriate care they need outside hospital settings (Institute of Design at Standard, n.d.).
Reflection
· What have you learned? Most families are illiterate about delivering basic or appropriate patient care for individuals with type II diabetes.
· What surprises you? Most families trust hiring health practitioners rather than providing the social and physical support to the family members with type II diabetes.
· How can you improve your design? By emphasizing more to connect and pinpoint what needs to be taught to families about basic patient care.
· What is going well? The interviews are going smoothly except during times when the respondents cancel scheduled interviews.
· What concerns you? The fact that not all families are committed to delivering family patient care.
· What new thoughts do you have now that you did not have at the start? To focus on developing a set of activities that are specific for patients with type II diabetes.
December 20, 2019
Upon learning the situation of the health care system in Tennessee, the Hy
id approach – the combination of community development and health care improvement is deemed as an appropriate technique to address its concern on diabetes prevalence. What is known and certain for now is that diabetes care is being prioritized in the government budget. It is surprising that despite this initiative, no significant improvement has progressed. Nonetheless, the budget allocated for the diabetes prevention education program is commendable and must be sustained.
The design of the hy
id approach for Tennessee must be further detailed. Socio-economic data of every city and its health care status shall be studied to appropriate the strategies to be practiced and taught to families. Health care providers and other health practitioners must develop guidelines that will focus on family-based care. One of the concerns of the hy
id approach though is the resources needed for community development. While the budget allocation for health might be sufficient, it is quite a challenge for how the government will provide for the needs for community development.
Reflection
· What have you learned? The usefulness of hy
id approach in community and health care improvement in addressing diabetes-related diseases.
· What surprises you? Limited information is known about this approach in Tennessee.
· How can you improve your design? Utilize hy
id approach to identify resources needed for the family patient care program in terms of identifying key strategies to spreading awareness about how illiteracy about type II diabetes can degrade one’s health.
· What is going well? The review of related literature continues to offer more insights about design thinking.
· What concerns you? The focus of the study in increasing about family patient care may be limited according to available resources (e.g. time and financial budget).
· What new thoughts do you have now that you did not have at the start? To create an overview/summary of interviews that will identify key points where the strategies must apply.
January 10, 2020
Ideate:
There are plenty of ways or methods that nurses can utilize to inform families about family patient care. In fact, to educate family members about chronic illnesses is among the duties of nursing to ensure that patient care is not compromised even outside hospital environment. A review of the POV Statement will remind us that the purpose of this study is to educate families of those patients with Type II diabetes for them to learn appropriate family patient care since many patients are struggling to receive the appropriate care they need outside hospital settings. From this, some ideas that come to mind on how nurses can educate families is to:
Solution Ideas:
1. Create a website that holds information about proper diabetes care for all kinds of families.
Creating websites for the benefit of healthcare systems is becoming a popular trend today as many individuals gain access to the Internet. Through websites, families can learn digitally about some important reminders on how to properly care for Type II diabetes.
2. Create a podcast discussing appropriate family patient care.
Podcasts can be published online through Spotify and iTunes. Through podcasts, many listeners can learn about proper patient care as if they were listening through music.
3. Conduct a weekly training for families who are interested about family patient care.
Weekly trainings can radically improve patient care, however, for nurses; this schedule can result to burnout amongst nurses.
4. Find out what families already know about Type II diabetes.
Finding a way to measure what families already know will allow nurses to determine what needs to be taught and what information needs to be reinforced. Finding out may involve doing face-to-face interviews or online surveys. This depends on the availability of the family members to engage with the patient.
5.