Final answer:
The nurse is utilizing nursing theories related to patient education and self-care practices to teach a patient with diabetes how to self-administer insulin.
This is an integral part of diabetes management and helps establish a negative feedback loop to maintain normal blood glucose levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a nurse is teaching a patient how to self-administer insulin, they are utilizing nursing theories that incorporate patient education and self-care practices. This teaching process falls under the broader scope of health literacy and chronic disease management, elements that are critical in the successful long-term management of diabetes.
Diabetes educators and nurses provide vital support and education, helping patients learn to monitor their blood sugar levels with a meter, understand the importance of maintaining normal glucose levels, and self-administer insulin injections.
Patients with type 1 diabetes must frequently check their blood sugar and administer insulin as needed to manage their condition, which requires lifelong monitoring and treatment.
Moreover, understanding how insulin promotes a negative feedback loop helps individuals recognize the mechanism by which insulin helps to normalize blood glucose levels and prevent the complications associated with hyperglycemia.