Type 2 Diabetics at McKinney Medical Clinic
Authors: Dana Keene, RN and Debbie Kipp, RN
Faculty Supervisor: Maryanne Sandberg Ed.D., RN
Abstract:
McKinney Medical Clinic was founded by Reverend McKinney in 1995 to assist and help the uninsured and underinsured members of his community and to reduce their medical bills by making medical care more accessible and more affordable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017) 30.3 million people have diabetes with 95% being type 2 diabetes. In interviewing one of the nurse practitioners at McKinney Medical Center, Courtney Herndon, the most common diagnosis was type 2 diabetes. The barriers to compliance in people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were education, cost of medications, and cost of healthy food. Many times, clients are told they need to change their diet and exercise, however, making that change can be hard especially if they are uncertain how to go about that change. A few interventions being suggested is to follow an American Diabetic Association diet low in starch carbohydrates instead obtaining carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk, whole grains, two or more servings of fish a week and limits the consumption of saturated fats and dietary cholesterol for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Offering meal plan suggestions, options for low-cost healthy food, and free exercise plans are some ways to help the person diagnosed with type 2 diabetes learn how to change their lifestyle. It is important to remind the client that changes in glycemic control, weight loss will take time to keep working at their positive and healthy lifestyle change.
