Did you know that there are over 4.9 million people with Diabetes in the UK and it is estimated that around 850,000 people are currently living with type 2 Diabetes but are yet to be diagnosed.
Diabetes is a medical condition where someone is unable to control the blood sugar (glucose) levels in their body. This is caused by the pancreas not producing enough insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar.
On a standard First Aid Course, we cover most eventualities that you may be faced with in the real world. Courses that last more than one day usually cover diabetes, but shorter courses are prioritised to focus on immediately life-threatening and life-changing emergencies.
When you’re learning to drive a car you need to have a grasp on the theory in order to gain a solid understanding. You also need some practice in order to gain more confidence, it is the same with First Aid Training.
Theory eLearning can never replace the practical elements of our first aid courses, or the ability to ask questions and share stories with our first aid instructors. But, if we can raise awareness and teach you some basics (or refresh your skills) from the comfort of your own home or office, then that’s great!
Please feel free to share this eCourse with your work colleagues or friends. Everyone that completes will get a certificate to download at the end of the course!
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Guide time to complete: 15 minutes
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Read our main points below:
Recognising Diabetes
Often people do not realise that they have diabetes and, because of this, their blood sugar can reach dangerously high levels. We call this hyperglycaemia. As a first aider you are not likely to recognise undiagnosed diabetes, due to the nature of the signs and symptoms. However, if you recognise the symptoms in yourself you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
Possible Signs and Symptoms of High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycaemia)
- Sweet smelling breath (sometimes described as being similar to nail varnish remover or pear drop sweets)
- Increased thirst & dry mouth
- Excess urination (especially at night)
- ‘Sweet smelling’ urine
- Tired and lethargic
- Weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Genital itching or regular episodes of thrush, cystitis, or bladder infections.
When someone has been diagnosed as a diabetic, their blood sugar levels can often be controlled with medication, diet, and exercise.
The difficulty is that if someone is taking a set amount of insulin, their blood sugar level may actually drop too low, for example, if they have skipped a meal, or have been more physically active than usual.
As a first aider, this is the more likely situation that you would recognise.
So what do we look out for?
Possible Signs and Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycaemia)
- Irritable, sometimes aggressive behaviour
- ‘Drunken-like’ behaviour, slurred speech, uncooperative
- Shaking
- Tingling lips
- Fast pulse & palpitations
- Sweating
- Extreme hunger
- Dizzy, weak, tired, confused
- Lowered levels of response, or unconsciousness.
Treatment of Low Blood Sugar
- Sit the casualty down in a quiet place
- The casualty could take glucose tablets, drinks or gels. If not available a handful of sweets, or a sweet drink such as, cola (not diet).
- If their level of consciousness is low, glucose gel, honey or jam could be massaged onto the inside of their cheeks.
- If improvement is seen, give more to eat and drink, but avoid fatty foods such as chocolate or milk.
- If there is little or no improvement or the person is aggressive call an ambulance
- If the casualty becomes unconscious, use your emergency plan, checking the airway and breathing, and following the steps of your plan as appropriate.
When attending one of our courses, you’ll have the opportunity to get hands-on and practice these life-saving skills in a relaxed and friendly environment. We do this to maximise your confidence and productivity!
Take a look at all our available courses here
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