Understanding Insulin
Learn more about all things insulin: from how it works, to insulin types, to side effects and guidance on how to prescribe safely.
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
4 hours
Understanding Insulin
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Understand prescribing and using insulin
The current spend on diabetes care by the NHS is estimated to be £1.6 million pounds per hour. 80% of this is spent on managing diabetes complications, the risk of which can be significantly reduced through effective blood glucose control using insulin.
This course will increase your knowledge about insulin covering safe prescribing, effective clinical use and how different insulins work. If you are a healthcare professional it will equip you with the skills to help you reduce insulin-related errors or if you have diabetes it should show you why insulin is so important for living well. The course won a 2020 Quality in Care Diabetes award.
What topics will you cover?
• An introduction to insulin and diabetes
• How the body controls blood glucose concentrations
• How insulin works and what happens in diabetes
• Types of insulin available for clinical use
• Clinical indications for using insulin
• Administration of insulin
• Factors affecting insulin performance
• The side effects of insulin
When would you like to start?
Date to be announced
Add to Wishlist to be emailed when new dates are announced
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Describe how insulin works to control blood glucose levels
- Explain why a lack or reduced effectiveness insulin in diabetes results in high blood glucose levels and how long term high blood glucose levels can lead to complications in diabetes
- Compare the different types of insulins and their clinical uses
- Describe how to prescribe and administer insulin safely
- Identify the side effects of insulin and other factors that can affects its clinical performance
- Explain how the safe and correct use of insulin can lead to well controlled diabetes and contribute to a good quality of life
Who is the course for?
This course has been primarily created for healthcare professionals to help reduce concerns around prescribing and managing insulin. However it might be also of interest to people with diabetes who do not have regular access to a healthcare professional and who want to find out more about how insulin works.
What do people say about this course?
"I found this course to be extremely interesting, informative and very easy to understand. Thank you for everyone's input. As a non-practising Registered Nurse, although still working within the health industry, I enjoy keeping up to date with information relating to the medical profession."
"Many thanks for an enjoyable, interesting, informative course that has helped my understanding of my Diabetes Type 2. "
Who will you learn with?
I am the Programme Leader for the MSc Diabetes Best Practice course at the University of Southampton, as well as having an active research career and running the Faculty of Medicine mentoring scheme.
I am a Doctor who works as a Diabetes Specialist. I have an interest in education and am always keen to broaden my horizons!
Who developed the course?
University of Southampton
Southampton is a place for ambitious people keen to stretch their intellectual abilities and help change the world.
Learning on FutureLearn
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- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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