ABSTRACT
In community nursing, the administration of insulin for people with type 2 diabetes can be delegated by registered nurses to healthcare support workers. Although a voluntary framework in England provides national guidance, little is known about its uptake. The project aim was to determine the roll-out, characteristics and support needs in relation to the delegation of insulin administration in community settings. An online survey was disseminated to community nursing services in England via social media and nursing networks. Of the 115 responding organisations, 81% (n=93) had an insulin delegation programme, with most initiated since 2018. From these services, 41% (n=3704) of insulin injections were delegated daily, with benefits for patients, staff and services reported, along with some challenges. Delegation of insulin administration is an established and valued initiative. Awareness of the national voluntary framework is increasing. National guidance is considered important to support governance arrangements and safety.
Subject(s)
Community Health Nursing , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Insulin , Humans , England , Insulin/administration & dosage , Insulin/therapeutic use , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/nursing , Surveys and Questionnaires , State Medicine , Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use , Hypoglycemic Agents/administration & dosage , Delegation, ProfessionalABSTRACT
AIM: To evaluate users' perceptions of an online numeracy assessment tool in terms of improving their numeracy and confidence in mathematical calculation. METHOD: A quantitative and qualitative survey evaluation was performed. An online questionnaire was sent to 695 users of the tool. A response rate of 46% was achieved. Questions posed related to three broad areas: the respondents' mathematical qualifications and perceived level of competence, perceptions of the practice exercises and assessment, and the usability and design of the numeracy assessment tool. FINDINGS: After accessing the online numeracy tool, 23% of users undertook additional study to enhance their numeracy; 88% passed the practice assessment first time; 66% reported that the practice calculations reduced their anxiety about the final non-medical prescribing assessment; and 96% found the tool easy to use. CONCLUSION: Competence in numeracy is an important skill for all healthcare professionals, including prescribers. The numeracy assessment tool enables poor numeracy skills to be identified and support provided to improve the calculation skills of clinical staff.
