A Clinical Nurse Specialist position within Perth Children’s Hospital’s Diabetes Service has been funded as part of the Federal Government’s new Type 1 Diabetes Management in School program.
The $6 million national initiative will support students with type 1 diabetes by providing a training and education program for school staff, to support students with the condition in specific circumstances.
Credentialled diabetes nurse educators Daina Coenen, pictured far right, and Adele Connor, pictured left, from PCH’s Diabetes Service, will job share the fulltime position to help rollout the program from a clinical perspective.
The team has already been involved in updating the 2020 Diabetes Action and Management Plans, piloting school education in a variety of areas and commencing a quality improvement activity to be able to measure the impact of the program here in WA.
Daina said the new program would take some of the pressure off newly diagnosed families when it came to providing training to their child’s school.
“Up until now it has been the responsibility of the parent/carer to attend to school education in the area of diabetes management, whether for a newly diagnosed student, one changing insulin therapies, commencing school for the first time, changing from primary to high school or even preparing for school camp diabetes management,” she said.
“This can be a significant burden on families. This new program will take that responsibility off them and allow someone with the knowledge and skills required to step in and provide this information to the appropriate staff at the school.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity to be involved with such an important project and look forward to working with families and schools into 2020.”
For more information, please contact the team at PCHDiabetesinSchools@health.wa.gov.au, Diabetes WA on 1300 001 880 or training@diabeteswa.com.au or contact the School of Special Educational Needs: Medical and Mental health (SSENMMH) teachers on 6456 0308 or ssenmmh@education.wa.edu.au.
*******Adele and Daina wanted to thank parent Corrine Mosely for her contribution to the design of the 2020 Action and Management Plans. Thank you!******