Diabetes management in focus at UCQ event

The University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) recently hosted an Inter-Professional Education (IPE) event to examine the topic of diabetes ketoacidosis in collaboration with the College of Pharmacy and College of Health Sciences at Qatar University ( QU). More than 130 students and 16 facilitators, representing five professions from UCQ and QU, participated in this annual learning opportunity. Now in its sixth year, IPE is a knowledge-sharing exercise among students from different academic fields. UCQ nursing students welcomed QU students from various disciplines, including pharmacy, biomedicine, public health and nutrition. “This classroom-based IPE activity is a fundamental example of an active learning strategy,” said Zohra Hasnani, UCQ nursing  instructor. “It is extremely beneficial to our students. They learned about diabetes ketoacidosis and, at the same time, had a valuable opportunity to meet other healthcare professionals so early on in their careers.” Diabetic ketoacidosis develops when the body cannot produce enough insulin. Students discussed the management of a patient with this condition and created a collaborative discharge plan for them and their family. The plan focused on aspects of nursing care, medication management, blood glucose monitoring, and related aspects of nutrition and health promotion. The outcome for students was an enhanced appreciation of the importance of collaborative interdisciplinary management of patients suffering from acute and chronic health problems.