Hyperglycemic Crises: Case-Based Module for Inpatient Management of Type II Diabetes

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Students rotating on the third-year internal medicine clerkship frequently encounter diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketosis during their patient workups. These cases represent a serious complication of diabetes and are part of our core medicine curriculum adapted from the Clerkship Directors of Internal Medicine's Core Medicine Clerkship Curriculum. DKA and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome afford a unique opportunity to incorporate many parts of the patient workup and the underlying pathophysiology. When teaching this topic with the right amount of each, it can be challenging not to overload the learner. Methods This interactive module is a clear, case-based presentation that can be used to engage students in realistic scenarios of hyperglycemic crises. It is interactive and requires 1 hour of didactic time. By the conclusion of the module, learners will be able to understand how to diagnose and manage hyperglycemic crises in the hospital. Results The evaluation of the module is based on an overall rating of the didactic session scored from 1-10 (10 = excellent), with comments for what aspects were liked and what could be improved. The average score over the past 3 years during which we have used this module is 9.24. Several participants commented on the session being “well organized,” “fun and interactive,” “practical,” and “easy to understand.” Discussion Future directions include a pre− and postassessment to help further evaluate the module. In addition, we plan to convert other cases into a simulated computer module that students can complete on their own.

Keywords

• Diabetes Mellitus
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis
• DKA
• Type II Diabetes
• Type 2 Diabetes