Continuing professional development

This section links you to a range of resources to help you with continuing professional development activities.

For details of sources you can use to find further information and develop your search skills visit Finding information for diabetes care.

News and updates

Diabetes UK news
Diabetes UK is the largest organisation in the UK working for people with diabetes.

NHS Diabetes news
NHS Diabetes works to raise the quality of diabetes care in England by supporting and working with the health care community and people with diabetes. This page brings together news and events. There is also access to a news archive.

RCN eLibrary: FAST (Frequently Asked Selected Topics)
The FAST service is part of the RCN eLibrary and provides lists of references from the British Nursing Index. These lists aim to provide a useful and fast way of finding recent information on a topic but bear in mind that they are not intended to be comprehensive. Topics on diabetes include:

diabetes and the older person
diabetic foot care / leg ulcers
diabetic retinopathy.

You will need to select FASTS from the eLibrary menu and log in with your RCN membership number.

Events

Diabetes UK conferences and events
National and international conferences and events for health care professionals working in diabetes care and research including details of the Diabetes UK annual professional conference.

RCN Events and conferences
This area of the RCN website provides information about RCN events for all healthcare professionals held across the UK. This includes eventa held by the RCN Diabetes Forum.

Learning materials

Nursing Standard learning zone articles

These are articles from the Nursing Standard. Most of them are from the continuing professional development section of the Nursing Standard journal. The full text of these can be accessed via the RCN eLibrary by selecting E-Journals and and using the A-Z list to find Nursing Standard.
The details (most recent first) are:

Sharp A and Clark J (2011) Diabetes and its effects on wound healing. Nursing Standard 25(45) 13 July pages 41-47.
Hicks D (2010) Self-management skills for people with type 2 diabetes. Nursing Standard 25(6) 13 Oct pages 48-56.
Budge P (2010) Management of diabetes in patients at the end of life. Nursing Standard 25(6) 13 Oct pages 42-46.
Hill J (2010) Prescribing in type 2 diabetes: choices and challenges. Nursing Standard 25(5) 6 Oct pages 55-58.
Jerreat L (2010) Managing diabetic ketoacidosis. Nursing Standard 24(34) 28 April pages 49-56.
Jerreat L (2009) Treatment of hyperglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. Nursing Standard 24(1) 9 September pages 50-8.
Hill J (2009) Reducing the risk of complications associated with diabetes. Nursing Standard 23(25) 25 February pp.49-55.
Lowes L (2008) Managing type 1 diabetes in childhood and adolescence. Nursing Standard 22(44) 9 July pages 50-6.
Watkinson S, Seewoodhary R (2008) Ocular complications associated with diabetes mellitus. Nursing Standard 22(27)12 March pages 51-7.
Fenn P (2007) Assessment and management of abdominal obesity in patients with type 2 diabetes. Nursing Standard 21(25)28 February pages 37-44.
Wallymahmed M (2006) Insulin therapy in the management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Nursing Standard 21(6)18 October pages 50-6.
Hill J (2006) Management of diabetes in South Asian communities in the UK. Nursing Standard 20(25)1 March pages 57-64.
Lowey A (2005) Drug treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults. Nursing Standard 20(11)23 November pages 55-64.
Vaughan L (2005) Dietary guidelines for the management of diabetes. Nursing Standard 19(44)13 July pages 56-64.

Visit the RCN eLibrary (you will need to log in with your RCN membership number).

RCN Learning Zone
The RCN Learning Zone supports the professional development of RCN members and the work of RCN activists. It was developed in response to the identified need for high quality and accessible learning which served the widest membership and includes learning areas relevant to personal development, clinical skills, skills for learning, and RCN activist skills.

The 'My portfolio' section can be used to capture information and evidence relating to personal and professional development. The Learning Zone is accessed using your RCN membership number.

Networks

Federation of European Nurses in Diabetes (FEND)
FEND aims to promote the professional role of the diabetes nurse and the delivery of evidence based care for people with diabetes throughout Europe. It works in collaboration with other European wide organisations.

NHS Diabetes Networks
NHS Diabetes manages a series of specialist network “to ensure effective two-way sharing of the most up-to-date guidance, tools, best practices and resources. There are networks for different areas and aspects of care for example: Paediatric Network; Footcare Network; Care Planning Network; Commissioning Network.

RCN Diabetes Nursing Forum community
The online communities are designed to bring members together around specific interests and areas of practice and to facilitate communication and interaction. The Diabetes Nursing Forum community includes news and features and the group's newsletter 'DiaBites' and members can also access the RCN Discussion Zone.

Primary Care Diabetes Society
"The aim of the society is to support primary care professionals to deliver high quality clinically effective care, in order to improve the lives of people living with diabetes."