Question

The nurse is preparing a teaching plan for a 6-year-old boy with diabetes mellitus and his family. What is the priority teaching goal initially?

A) To develop management and decision-making skills
B) To educate the parents about diabetes mellitus type 1
C) To develop a nutritionally sound 30-day meal plan
D) To teach the boy how to give his own insulin

Answer 1

The initial teaching goal for a 6-year-old with diabetes and his family is to educate the parents about diabetes mellitus type 1. It is essential for them to understand the basics of managing the condition before progressing to more detailed aspects like insulin administration and dietary planning.

Step-by-step explanation:

The priority teaching goal initially for a 6-year-old boy with diabetes mellitus and his family is to educate the parents about diabetes mellitus type 1.

Before moving onto more advanced management and decision-making skills, or teaching the boy how to give his own insulin, it is imperative that the parents fully understand the condition, how it affects their child, and the basics of day-to-day management.

This would include familiarization with blood glucose monitoring, the importance of insulin, the impact of physical activity, and how to manage dietary needs.

Understanding diabetes is the foundation upon which all other teaching and management will build. Without this fundamental knowledge, more complex tasks such as insulin administration or dietary planning would be less safe and effective. Hence, the effort to educate the family comprehensively about diabetes mellitus type 1 takes precedence.