Med Pak Interviews Occupational Health Nurse Sister Manaka From Unjani Clinic Qwaqwa

Q: Has there been an increase in the diagnosis of diabetes among staff at the workplace?

A: Yes and no at the same time. Because, as an occupational nurse, I don’t have a progressive follow-up on the wellness of the employees to make comparisons. I might go to one company this year; the following year, it might be another company to do wellness at the same company. It is difficult to do statistics regarding that. The other thing is that because people don’t do annual self-screening, it is uncertain to say that this year out of so many patients who were screened for DM, 3 were found to have it, whereas last year they were not diagnosed with diabetes.

Q: What do you think is the contributor that has caused an increase in Diabetes among your patients?

A: Stress, compliance, poor diet.

Q: What treatment do you prescribe to patients once diagnosed with diabetes?

A: Depending on the sugar level. If it’s between 7, 5-11 on fasting, I start with metformin 500mg daily, and do bloods for fasting glucose and HB1AC. And monitor to see how it goes. It’s uncontrolled, we keep on increasing with a space-time of two months.

Q: What is the best advice you can provide to healthcare practitioners treating diabetes?

1. Health education on diet, weight loss exercise, and reduction of stress
2. Test urine every visit
3. Advise patients to have their machine check their sugar at home
4. Do HB1AC annually or 3-6 in patients not meeting treatment goal, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol
5. Weigh the patient every visit
6. Abdominal circumference: target less than 80cm in women and 94cm in men
7. Eye examination
8. Wound care

Q: What role can employers play in staff wellness?

A: Every year wellness, allows those with DM to eat on time and allow activity at work or gym equipment.