Introduction

Both registered nurses and pre-registration nurses provide diabetes care, though the latter can lack necessary skills and insight in this treatment area. This article discusses an accredited diabetes module designed to address this. The module for pre-registration nurses undertaking a higher education diploma incorporates a variety of teaching methods and a week's placement in a diabetes unit. On completion, students must pass a two-hour written examination. For those studying the module, feedback has indiated that education can increase confidence and interest in the area of diabetes care.

KEY WORDS

* Learning

* Module

* Placement

* Insight

* Diploma

The need for providing staff involved in the care of people with diabetes with relevant skills is one aspect of the National Service Framework for Diabetes delivery strategy (Department of Health, 2003). Diabetes UK provides a list of courses/programmes to meet the educational needs of registered nurses (Diabetes UK, 2003). However, it is not just registered nurses who deliver diabetes care. Indeed pre-registration nurses are often responsible for delivering care to people with diabetes, some of whom have very little insight into the development and progression of diabetes.

In 1996 a report from the British Diabetic Association (BDA)--now Diabetes UK)--advised that: 'Preregistration nurses should receive some training from a senior diabetes specialist nurse. Nurses' training should include skills to enable them to work as part of a multidisciplinary team' (BDA, 1996, pg5). In discussion with colleagues, 'training' does take place but contact time is variable.

This article discusses a diabetes module set up as an attempt to address the above BDA recommendation. An accredited option module for pre-registration student nurses undertaking a higher education diploma in nursing/registered nurse with BSc (Hons) top-up was developed.

Believed to be the first in the UK at the time of development, nursing students in the adult treatment branch of their educational programme at Kingston University in Surrey can choose from a menu of five different option modules, prior to qualifying as a registered nurse. The aim of the option module 'Introduction to Diabetes Care' is to '... enable students to increase the breadth and depth of their evidence-based knowledge and practice in order to meet the needs of adults with diabetes'.

Setting up the module

The module was originally the idea of the module leader in 2001 and was created in anticipation of recommendations of the National Service Framework for Diabetes strategies document (DoH, 2003) for workforce planning development. The module went through the normal university validation requirements in June 2002 (with both internal and external scrutiny). This demanded attention to the development of suitable level 2 and level 3 learning outcomes, and the inclusion of a variety of teaching and learning strategies which total 150 hours for a module of 15 credits.

Successful validation also required the inclusion of learning opportunities in practice and a suitable assessment that would give the students 15 credits at the level at which they are studying the module.

Most students access the module at level 2 (diploma) but there are some who have performed sufficiently well in the earlier part of their programme who access the module at level 3 (degree). These credits can then be used towards the achievement of a nursing degree after the completion of their original diploma.

A variety of teaching methods are used including straightforward lectures, discussion, demonstration for practical aspects, group work to facilitate learning and both self-directed and guided study so as to offer variety, provide interest and satisfy the different learning styles of different students (Stengelhofen, 1996).

Course content

Classroom contact is a total of 20 hours usually delivered in 10 two-hour blocks over a period of eight weeks, although the whole module stretches over 18 weeks in order to include a week's placement in a diabetes unit and one classroom revision and evaluation session. Students undertake these placements in about five diabetes clinics, located within South West London, which take one student a week for six consecutive weeks.

At the end of the module the students sit a two-hour unseen written examination in which they are required to obtain a pass. The maximum number of students who can undertake the at one time is 30, and recruitment to the module has been close to this ceiling.

At the beginning of the module the students are issued with an accompanying handbook, which sets out learning and practice outcomes, the lesson timetable, the assessment, reading list and contact numbers for the module leader. By the end of the module, students will be able to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes against specific curriculum themes and against learning outcomes specified by the English National Board in 2000 for entry to the nursing register. The module is delivered by a number of university lecturers but, importantly, their input is supported by healthcare professionals who have a specific interest or work in diabetes care.