Understanding Insulin (FutureLearn)

Understanding Insulin (FutureLearn)

Learn more about all things insulin: from how it works, to insulin types, to side effects and guidance on how to prescribe safely. The current spend on diabetes care by the NHS is estimated to be £1.6 million pounds per hour. 80% of this is spent on managing diabetes complications, the risk of which can be significantly reduced through effective blood glucose control using insulin.

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This course will increase your knowledge about insulin covering safe prescribing, effective clinical use and how different insulins work. If you are a healthcare professional it will equip you with the skills to help you reduce insulin-related errors or if you have diabetes it should show you why insulin is so important for living well.

What topics will you cover?
• An introduction to insulin and diabetes
• How the body controls blood glucose concentrations
• How insulin works and what happens in diabetes
• Types of insulin available for clinical use
• Clinical indications for using insulin
• Administration of insulin
• Factors affecting insulin performance
• The side effects of insulin

What will you achieve?

  • Describe how insulin works to control blood glucose levels
  • Explain why a lack or reduced effectiveness insulin in diabetes results in high blood glucose levels and how long term high blood glucose levels can lead to complications in diabetes
  • Compare the different types of insulins and their clinical uses
  • Describe how to prescribe and administer insulin safely
  • Identify the side effects of insulin and other factors that can affects its clinical performance
  • Explain how the safe and correct use of insulin can lead to well controlled diabetes and contribute to a good quality of life
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