Guidelines for self-care and self-application of insulin to patients with diabetes mellitus by medical students

Abstract

This study aims to report the experience of medical undergraduates in self-care education actions for patients on insulin therapy, from an extension project, carried out during the 2019 academic semesters, in an outpatient clinic for people care with diabetes, at the Hospital de Clínicas of the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, after training the students involved. Triggering questions were considered: Questions such as “Could you tell how you keep insulin in your house?”, “Can you show me how you apply insulin?”, “Where do you inject insulin, exactly?” and, “To dispose of the needle, how do you do it?”. An audience of 260 children, teenagers and adults was estimated. The waiting period was used, before the consultation, with individual interviews. With the difficulties found for each patient, self-care in the application of insulin was guided. The experience of health education made it possible to reinforce the step-by-step process of insulin therapy, encourage adherence to treatment and contribute to improving the quality of life, strengthening the teaching-service-community axis, in which the patient develops the necessary skills for self-care , and students, experience practical for their professional future.