India with an estimated 77 million people living with diabetes is the second most affected country in the world after China. According to International Diabetes Federation, one in six people in the world with diabetes is from India. The number is projected to grow to become 134 million by 2045.

Every year, November 14, is commemorated as World Diabetes Day. Based on this year’s theme, ‘The Nurse and Diabetes’, it becomes even more important to raise awareness around the crucial role that nurses play in treating people living with diabetes.

With the unavailability of structured diabetes education and training along with low awareness on right insulin injection technique, it becomes crucial to support people living with diabetes help understand their condition better and manage it. Therefore, nurses play a vital role in educating patients on insulin therapy and correct injection technique to help improve patient outcomes.

In people with type 1 diabetes insulin is the mainstay of treatment. However, people with type 2 who are not well controlled on oral drug therapy, diet and exercise may also need insulin injections to control their blood glucose levels and prevent long-term complications from cardiovascular disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, kidney disease etc.

“Reuse of needles and incorrect injection technique can lead to complications and medication errors. Needle re-use causes blunting and bending of the needle tip, increasing pain and bleeding, dosage inaccuracy, and Lipohypertrophy,” said Dr Subramanian Kannan, Consultant and Head of Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Narayana Health City Bengaluru.

“We work with a dedicated team of clinicians and diabetes educators who train patients on various aspects of injection technique right from the first visit itself. Looking at the larger benefit of optimising insulin administration for better glycemic control, we must discourage the re-use of insulin needles.” said Dr Ameya Joshi, Consultant Endocrinologist, Endocrinology Department Bhakti Vedanta Hospital and Research Institute, Mumbai and Institute of Diabetes Endocrinology And Nutrition (INDEAN) clinic, Mumbai.

Adherence to proper medication is essential to determine treatment outcomes for patients.