Question

Setting: Home Visit

Patient: You are a busy 50-year-old waitress, recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. You had a wedge resection 12 days ago and have post-operative infection in your right large toe. You are resting at home, and the district nurse is visiting to change your dressing.
Option 1: Acknowledge not following medical advice.
Option 2: Insist on a quick fix for your toe.
Option 3: Agree to follow the nurse's suggestions.
Option 4: Request information on managing diabetes.

Answer 1

For the best outcome, a patient with Type 2 diabetes should acknowledge the importance of adhering to medical advice, follow healthcare professional's suggestions, and seek comprehensive information on managing their condition and related complications, including post-operative infections and foot ulcers.

Step-by-step explanation:

Managing Type 2 Diabetes and Foot Ulcers

Patients with Type 2 diabetes, like the busy 50-year-old waitress in the scenario, must take proactive steps to manage their condition and prevent infections, particularly when they have had surgery, like a wedge resection. As seen in the example of the 60-year-old software engineer, Mark, neglecting to properly clean a wound can lead to serious infections, such as red, swollen, and warm skin, fever, and in severe cases, conditions like necrotizing fasciitis. It is therefore critical to acknowledge not following medical advice when applicable, to agree to follow the nurse's suggestions to ensure proper healing and management of the condition, and to actively seek and request information on managing diabetes, which includes both diet and exercise, as well as understanding potential complications such as neuropathy and infections.

Case studies such as Mohinder's illustrate how obesity and a family history of diabetes can increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and how lifestyle modifications, including exercise and dietary improvements, can help manage the risk. Similarly, as seen in Charles's case, lack of attention to diabetic foot can lead to ulcers and, in severe cases, amputations. Therefore, education and preventative care are essential.

If a patient like the waitress above is seeking options to manage their diabetes and related infections, the recommended course of action would involve acknowledging any lapses in following medical advice, adhering to the healthcare professional's advice, and seeking comprehensive information on managing diabetes and its complications. In case of post-operative infections like those seen in diabetic foot ulcers, it is essential for the medical team to detect and treat possible causative agents like C. perfringens, which can lead to severe infections such as gas gangrene.