IFGH 2012: An Initiative for Training Collaboration between an Irish and Sudanese Multidisciplinary Diabetes Centre

Authors: Shadad A.1, Burke H.1, Hurley L.1, Ahmed ME. 2, Dinneen S.1

Author Affiliations:1University Hospital Galway, National University of Ireland Galway, 2Jabir AbuEliz Diabetes Centre, University of Khartoum, Sudan

Option 2– Lessons from the field; project and programme evaluations; and syntheses or analyses

Presented as – Oral Poster

Issues:

This abstract highlights an initiative by an expatriate doctor to strengthen the role of Sudanese Specialist nurses through skills-focused training in Ireland.

Description:

This collaboration began in November 2010 between the Diabetes Day Centre (DDC), University Hospital Galway, Ireland and Jabir AbuEliz Diabetes Centre (JADC) Khartoum, Sudan, the leading multi-disciplinary diabetes centre in Sudan with over 40,000 diabetes patients registered. Two diabetes nurses from JADC joined the DDC for a four-week attachment. The training involved education on a wide range of services available to diabetes patients in Galway. A preset educational curriculum, accompanied by appropriate references, protocols and study material was supplied to both nurses. As well as general outpatient clinics, the visiting nurses had opportunities to attend specialist clinics such as antenatal/pre-pregnancy diabetes clinics and paediatric clinics. They had exposure to innovative services such as structured group education programmes, the retinal screening service, multidisciplinary foot service, cardiovascular prevention programmes, in-patient diabetes services and patient/parent support initiatives.

Lessons learned:

The feedback from both nurses has been very positive, both in terms of learning and the applicability of concepts such as multi-disciplinary case discussion, diabetes patient education programs and computer-based patient databases. Following this attachment the two nurses have been able to advise on the implementation of best practice guidelines for patients with diabetes attending their centre in Sudan. They continue to examine ways to reduce the high incidence of diabetes-related foot amputation and other complications of diabetes.

Next steps:

To expand the initiative to include other areas of patient care such as stroke service, oncology and maternity and to organise visits for resource individuals to Sudan to provide a larger capacity built short-term skills-focused training courses. A systematic collaboration between specialized centres in North and South will facilitate sustainability and enhance the impact.