Training care workers to inject insulin can benefit care environments
By Carolien Koreneff, CDE-RN
Are you a registered health professional working in aged care, disability support, or home care? Are you struggling to provide timely, person-centred diabetes care while managing other clinical responsibilities? If so, could delegating routine diabetes tasks, such as glucose monitoring and insulin injections, to trained care workers free up your time for more complex clinical care, without compromising safety or compliance?
In Australia, state and territory regulations vary regarding who can administer insulin in care settings, but one consistent requirement is: training. The Safely Injecting Insulin in a Care Environment course ensures that support and care workers have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to safely inject insulin under delegated authority.
A growing need for diabetes support
Many care providers are struggling to meet the increasing demand for diabetes management. A recent study (Stenner et al., 2023) suggests delegating insulin administration to non-registered healthcare workers as a possible solution but highlights the importance of structured training and governance. While this study is UK-based, the findings align with workforce challenges in Australia, where staff shortages continue to impact aged care and disability services.
The study found that, with the right training and supervision, delegation can improve service capacity, support workforce sustainability, and enhance care continuity.
However, implementing delegation without proper training can lead to inconsistent care, increasing the risk of hypo- and hyperglycaemia. The Safely Injecting Insulin in a Care Environment course directly addresses these challenges by ensuring staff are trained and competent to work within their scope of responsibility, follow an individual’s diabetes management plan, and recognise adverse reactions to ensure safe diabetes care.
How this course benefits health professionals
1. More time for complex clinical care
Delegating routine diabetes tasks, such as glucose monitoring and insulin injections, to trained care workers allows health professionals to focus on more complex cases, ensuring better client outcomes and clinical efficiency.
2. Reduced risk of insulin errors
Comprehensive training ensures insulin is injected correctly and safely. This course reduces the likelihood of insulin dosing errors, improving client safety and reducing hospitalisations.
3. Better collaboration and communication
When care workers understand glucose monitoring and insulin administration, they are better able to communicate with the delegating authority and other health professionals. This improves teamwork, reduces miscommunication, and leads to better-coordinated care.
4. Meeting compliance and safety standards
Insulin administration is a high-risk task, and care providers must meet strict regulatory and safety standards. Completing this course helps organisations meet compliance requirements and demonstrate a commitment to high-quality care.
5. Reducing workload and burnout
Workforce shortages in aged care and disability services place huge demands on nurses and health professionals. Training care workers to support diabetes management helps reduce workloads and improve job satisfaction among healthcare professionals.
About the training
Developed by a team of registered nurses (RNs) and credentialled diabetes educators (CDEs), this training provides support and care workers with:
- Foundational knowledge through a series of interactive online modules
- Safe insulin injection techniques through hands-on practical training
- Competency-based tasks based on real-world situations
Not just training
For delegation to be effective, care workers need more than training. Organisations must also have clear policies and procedures in place, consent from clients or guardians, individual diabetes management plans, and appropriate health professionals involved.
Diabetes Qualified can provide guidance, including policy templates, to support compliance.
A safe and efficient approach to diabetes care
The Safely Injecting Insulin in a Care Environment course offers a practical solution for improving diabetes care while addressing workforce challenges. This program equips care workers with the knowledge and skills to safely inject insulin under delegation.
By upskilling care workers, health professionals can focus on complex clinical care, while clients still receive safe, reliable diabetes support from their care workers.
Call the Diabetes Qualified Team on 02 9994 1111, email training@diabetesqualified.com.au, or visit the Safely injecting insulin page for more details.
Reference:
Stenner, K., Shore, C. B., Maben, J., Mold, F., Winkley, K., & Cook, A. (2023). Delegation of insulin administration to non-registered healthcare workers in community nursing teams: A qualitative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(9), 3382–3396. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15662
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