Diabetes in Practice for Podiatrists

About the course

Diabetes in Practice for Podiatrists is an interactive, practical eLearning CPD course. The course is developed by eLearning specialists and healthcare experts in the field of diabetes. Which means that you will receive the latest, evidence-based guidelines on diabetes and its management. You will also have access to a three-part foot assessment video series, practical tools and educational handouts and resources to use in your practice. A core component of this course focuses on the power of positive language and how to have a meaningful conversation that facilitates behaviour change to reduce long-term risk and complications in people with diabetes. The course takes six hours to complete and is worth six hours of CPD learning.

If you are looking to increase your technical diabetes knowledge and learn more about the pathophysiology of diabetes please refer to our course Diabetes Essentials.

How does this course work?

• Once you enrol online you will automatically gain access to your course in our e-Learning platform. Everything you need to complete the course is available online, with 24/7 accessibility.
• The course takes approximately six hours to complete, however you will have 12-months access to the course from your enrolment date. This enables you to learn at your own pace and at a time that suits you.
• There are 12 modules and 3 assessments. The assessments are multiple-choice and results are shown immediately.
• Once you have passed all 3 assessments you will be able to download your ‘Certificate of Completion’ for your CPD records.

Key learning objectives for each of the 11 modules for Diabetes in Practice for Podiatrists are outlined below.

Module 1: Introduction

• Recognise why it is important to follow this training on diabetes and why diabetes is a significant health problem in Australia.
• Understand the link between diabetes and foot care.

Module 2: What is diabetes

• Describe what diabetes is, including the three main types.
• Describe normal glucose metabolism.
• Describe key features of the three diabetes types including prevalence, cause, presentation and management.

Module 3: Risk factors for type 2 diabetes

• Name the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.

Module 4: Blood glucose levels

• Recall what hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia are and how they are defined by blood glucose levels.
• Recall the target blood glucose levels for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Module 5: Acute complications – hyperglycaemia

• Name the signs, symptoms and causes of hyperglycaemia.
• Describe how acute hyperglycaemia (including sick days) is managed.
• Describe what diabetic ketoacidosis is and what causes it.

Module 6: Acute complications – hypoglycaemia

• Name the signs, symptoms and causes of hypoglycaemia.
• Describe how acute hypoglycaemia (including sick days) is managed.
• Describe the treatment for mild and moderate hypoglycaemia and the management for severe hypoglycaemia.

Module 7: Chronic complications

• Describe the chronic micro and macrovascular complications of diabetes.
• Describe the oral and mental health complications of diabetes.

Module 8: Living well with diabetes

• Describe the ways in which diabetes can be managed.
• Discuss the purpose of a Diabetes Care Team, their roles and how they can help a person manage their diabetes.
• Describe the referral pathway to members of the Diabetes Team.

Module 9: Prevention and detection of chronic complications

• Describe what the Annual Cycle of Care is, the tests and reviews, and how it can reduce the risk of chronic complications.
• Describe the importance of daily foot care, how to care for the feet including podiatry checks.
• Recognise that diabetes can have an emotional and psychological impact on people with diabetes and their family.
• Describe how diabetes can affect oral health and the importance of visiting a dentist every 6 months.

Module 10: NDSS, diabetes organisations and Medicare

• Describe what the NDSS is, eligibility and registration process and the benefits of registration.
• Describe changes to NDSS.
• Describe what diabetes organisations are, what they do to support people with diabetes, how people can become members and what the benefits of membership are.
• Describe the entitlements under Medicare for people with diabetes.

Module 11: Talking the talk

• Describe the type of language used to engage and support people living with diabetes.
• Describe the types of positive words that can be used to encourage appositive interaction with the person living with diabetes.
• Recognise the ‘Stages of Change’ behavioural change model and how it relates to supporting people with type 2 diabetes to make positive behaviour changes.