Patient Education

If you are considering insulin pump therapy, Insulin Pumping – Is it for You? can answer your basic questions. How does a pump work? Where is the pump attached? Will the pump help improve my blood glucose control? Do I wear the pump day and night? What are the benefits and risks of pumping? What are the cost and time involved? This one-hour workshop occurs on the first Tuesday of every month at 9 a.m., and the third Tuesday of every month at 4 p.m.

Joslin Clinic has the nation’s largest staff of Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE). Pump Assessment consists of a 30-minute appointment with one of our CDE Pump Trainers. This one-on-one session evaluates your individual clinical and educational needs, the basis for developing your JoslinCare plan. We review what you can expect from pump therapy, evaluate your problem-solving style and determine any additional education you may need in basic diabetes knowledge and the technical skills required to operate an insulin pump.

This four-hour, small-group class teaches you the techniques to manage and troubleshoot your diabetes with an insulin pump. To attend this class you must first complete Pump Assessment. You must also be using advanced carbohydrate counting skills to determine your insulin dose. And, because this class is taught using your own pump, you must have already ordered and received your insulin pump by the time the class starts. Foundations of Pump Therapy covers practical information, such as where to wear the pump, temporary pump removal guidelines, pump mechanics and programming your particular pump. You will learn how to troubleshoot hypo and hyperglycemia, how to care for infusion sites, and how to prevent, diagnose and fix pump problems. The class also includes physical activity guidelines, sick-day management and a review of advanced carbohydrate counting. Classes are available on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 1 to 5 p.m.

Pump Start is a series of one-on-one or group sessions with a Joslin Pump Trainer who works with you to facilitate successful pump therapy. These appointments include starting the pump with saline for about one week and then making the transition to insulin in the pump the following week. There are two follow-up visits after you begin wearing the pump, along with nutrition education and exercise fine-tuning. Foundations of Pump Therapy is a prerequisite for this part of the pump program.

Do you want to take your insulin pump to the next level? Then Pump Logic is for you. Designed especially for experienced pumpers, this individualized, two and- a-half day outpatient program teaches you advanced self-management techniques for fine-tuning your current pump therapy regimen. During Pump Logic you use a continuous glucose-monitoring sensor for a detailed profile of your 24-hour blood glucose levels. Based on that data your Pump Trainer and Joslin physician work with you to improve your basal rates, sensitivity factors and correction boluses. They also help you deal with the demands of exercise or activity, special food issues and overnight blood glucose fluctuations. Pump Logic is offered once a month. Call (617) 264-2767 for dates and availability.

More and more young people are using insulin pumps. Even very young children have successfully adjusted to the pump. Joslin’s Pediatric Health Services protocol for initiating pump therapy ensures the most positive outcomes. This includes evaluation and teamwork involving a Joslin physician, nurse educator, registered dietitian, child development specialist and, most importantly, the patient and the patient’s family. For more information on pump therapy for teens and children, contact your Joslin pediatrician, or make an appointment with Joslin Pediatric Health Services by calling (617) 732-2603 or visiting www.joslin.org/kids.