DIABETES EDUCATION PROGRAM

EAST GEORGIA HEALTHCARE CENTER

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
DIETETIC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
PROGRAM PURPOSE
It is the purpose of this program to educate individuals afflicted by diabetes who
are patients of the East Georgia Healthcare Center (EGHC) clinical system. The
program addresses topics pertaining to what EGHC healthcare providers have
identified as areas for improvement among their diabetic patients. These areas
include: lack of compliance to diabetes-specific diet plans, lifestyle choices
contributing to obesity, and lifestyle choices contributing to hypertension,
hyperlipidemia, or hypercholesterolemia. The goal of this program is to provide
effective education on how to achieve and maintain an attainable diet plan
that stabilizes blood sugar levels and supports weight loss. Measurements of Hg
A1C and body mass index (BMI) were selected as the criteria to identify which
patients fall within the category for education.

PROGRAM LOGISTICS
An ongoing record of class attendees will be maintained, and attendance will
be indicated on patient medical records. Healthcare providers will measure
patient lab values and BMIs to determine whether baseline values prior to
education have improved. Providers will then determine whether the classes are
contributing to improved dietary compliance and BMI values.
This program will educate patients in a series of three lesson installments. Patients
will be asked to complete the three courses over a six-month time span, so as to
allow healthcare providers time to detect health status changes, relative to the
identified areas for improvement. Courses will be scheduled three to a day, in
accordance with educator availability.

PROGRAM CONTENT
CARBOHYDRATE CONTROL
The dietary component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is especially
important for individuals managing diabetes. This segment of the diabetes
education program will: lay the groundwork for understanding the effect of
carbohydrates on blood sugar levels, introduce carbohydrate counting
methodology, and emphasize the selection of quality carbohydrate sources.

PORTION CONTROL
Portion control can be challenging, especially when not eating at home. This
educational segment of the program aims to promote both healthy weight
loss and weight maintenance through utilization of proper portion control.
The course will inform attendees about ways in which to easily estimate
serving sizes, use The Plate Method for balanced meal building, and
effectively monitor their intakes.

EXERCISE & MEDICINE COMPLIANCE

Incorporation of physical activity can inspire patients to influence their lab
values in a way that is not strictly attributed to dietary intakes. This segment of
the program will focus on how exercise can help manage and maintain
proper blood glucose levels, which exercises are beneficial for those with
diabetes and related complications, as well as methods for easily
incorporating physical activity into everyday life.
Additionally, this course will provide an overview of the medications
available to individuals with diabetes, in addition to its emphasis on the
importance of complying to provider-approved medicine prescriptions.

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
CLASS A: CARBOHYDRATE CONTROL
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Attendees will:
1. Distinguish the amount of carbohydrates found in a meal using
carbohydrate counting methodology.
2. Design a meal plan that meets a predetermined amount of
carbohydrates using food lists with quality carbohydrate sources.
LESSON TIME FRAME:
45 minutes
ACTIVITY OUTLINE:
1. Educators will present a PowerPoint presentation on Carbohydrate
Control to class attendees. Following the presentation, attendees will be
asked to practice carbohydrate counting, using the leave-behind
brochure Your Guide to Carbohydrate Counting.
2. Using lists of commonly consumed foods and local restaurant foods,
patients will design a meal plan that aligns with a predetermined amount
and distribution of carbohydrate throughout the day. Audience will be
provided with food lists, in addition to a worksheet that guides patients
through the process of selecting foods from their lists that fit into the
allotted amount of carbohydrates.
LESSON SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Computer and projector screen

PowerPoint presentation: Carbohydrate Control
Pen or pencil for each attendee
Participant Evaluation Form per attendee

LEAVE-BEHIND MATERIALS:

Interactive brochure Your Guide to Carbohydrate Counting

Meal Planning Worksheet for practice carbohydrate counting
Lilly Diabetes Food Lists for Meal Planning
Printed list of healthier local restaurant food options from MD

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
CLASS B: PORTION CONTROL
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Attendees will:
1. Identify proper portion sizes using approved estimation techniques.
2. Design a balanced meal using The Plate Method and educational
food models.
3. Evaluate quality of personal intakes through recording food intake.
LESSON TIME FRAME:
45 minutes
ACTIVITY OUTLINE:
1. Educators will relay proper portion sizes to attendees via poster. There will
be a poster representative of each food group, indicating the correct
servings of various foods within each, emphasizing visual content.
2. Each attendee will receive a paper plate. Using their plates, attendees
will be challenged to construct (from memory, using no aides) a
balanced meal out of food models that corresponds with The Plate
Method. To follow, educators will have each attendee share their food
model meals and verbally estimate the portion size of each food.
3. Educators will pass out the How to Maintain a Food Diary brochure.
Attendees will log their intakes from the day, as directed. The worksheet
will require attendees to compare their intakes to The Plate Method
portions and evaluate whether they adhere to correct portion sizes.
LESSON SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Posters (three, front and back) with food group portion sizes
Paper plate for each attendee
EGHC food models
Pen or pencil for each attendee
Participant Evaluation Form per attendee

LEAVE-BEHIND MATERIALS:

How to Maintain a Food Diary brochures with built-in intake log and
portion control tips

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
CLASS C: EXERCISE & MEDICINE COMPLIANCE
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Attendees will:
1. Create a plan of action for incorporating 2+ types of exercise into their
weekly schedule, using a provided goal sheet.
2. Identify the importance of medicine compliance through verbal
reinforcement in a low-pressure group quiz setting.
LESSON TIME FRAME:
45 minutes
ACTIVITY OUTLINE:

Educators will begin by asking attendees to identify types of physical

activity that they either already engage in or have heard about.
Educators will write responses on a flip chart or white board so that the
audience may see. This will segue into a seminar discussion about
different forms of exercise, including exercise for those with a disability.
Attendees will write fitness goals that realistically incorporate different
exercise styles into their weekly schedules. Goals should incorporate at
least two different forms of feasible exercise.
Lastly, educators will discuss the importance of complying to medications
via PowerPoint presentation. Following the presentation, attendees will
engage in a group quiz. Quiz questions will be inserted into the slots of a
medicine box container, which will be passed around for attendees to
open and answer from in a low-pressure environment.

LESSON SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Flip chart or white board and corresponding marker

Pen or pencil for each attendee
Computer and projector screen
The Importance of Medicine Compliance PowerPoint presentation
Weekly medicine box container with questions inside
Participant Evaluation Form per attendee

LEAVE-BEHIND MATERIALS:

Goal sheet

EDUCATOR SELF-EVALUATION FORM

1. Please give yourself an overall rating for implementation of this
lesson:
5
Excellent

Good

Fair

2
Poor

1
Unacceptable

2. Do you feel that your learners were engaged throughout the

lesson?
Yes

No

3. What went well during this lesson?

4. Were there any specific challenges that arose? Please explain.

5. What do you think should be changed for future implementation?

6. Please provide any additional feedback that you may have

regarding this presentation.

PARTICIPANT EVALUATION FORM

1. Please give this lesson an overall rating:
5
Excellent

Good

Fair

2
Poor

1
Unacceptable

2. Do you feel that you learned something from this lesson?

Yes

No

3. What about this lesson do you think could be changed for the
future?

4. Would you consider attending another lesson?

Yes

No

5. Please provide any additional feedback that you may have

regarding this presentation.

Thank you for attending this presentation and completing an evaluation!