Development of Self-care Agency in Diabetic Patient with Fear of Hypoglycemia from Insulin Administration: A case study

Abstract

Abstract
Fear of hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes receiving insulin administration is a common phenomenon in clinical practice. Hypoglycemic episodes can affect persons’ health, adherence to treatment regimens, and quality of life. Orem’s Self-Care theory, the motivational interviewing technique, and the evidence-based approach are important
to improve patients’ self-care abilities. This article presents a case study of a patient
with diabetes fearing of hypoglycemia and roles of advanced practice nurses (APNs) in
incorporating multiple helping methods in order to develop the patient’s self-care agency.
Promoting self-care agency requires an educative-supportive nursing system, a good
patient-provider relationship, empathy expression to patients’ behavior, motivating
patients to understand themselves and aware of their situation. Moreover, APNs should
provide substantive knowledge and skills training, empower patients to make decision
and perform self-care, facilitate resource mobilization, monitor signs of hypoglycemia
and the blood glucose level, encourage patients’ self-assessment, and affirm their
self-confidence to minimize fear of hypoglycemia. These approaches would help them
maintain self-care appropriately and improve glycemic control to prevent diabetic
complications, and promote their quality of life.

Keywords: Advanced practice nurse, Fear of hypoglycemia, Motivation, Insulin
administration, Self-care.