Latest guidance on ketones now available for healthcare professionals

A newly launched document has been created by a diabetes team to educate healthcare professionals on how to monitor ketones in people with the condition.

‘Monitoring for ketones’ has been created as part of the ‘Start with the D1abasics’ inpatient campaign, which was launched in May earlier this year to provide healthcare professionals with basic inpatient diabetes knowledge.

This material, which is now available via the Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurse (DISN) UK Group, focusses on how to safely treat people with diabetes in inpatient settings and support the basic diabetes needs of patients.

The D1abasics resources are developed by the diabetes team at University Hospital Southampton, including Dr Mayank Patel, Diabetes and Acute Medicine Consultant, and Paula Johnston, Lead Inpatient Diabetes Nurse.

Paula Johnston, who is also the Vice Chair of the DISN UK Group, created ‘Monitoring for ketones’.

This new document is a valuable resource for healthcare professionals as it simplifies the understanding of ketones, provides clear guidelines on when and how to monitor them and outlines the necessary actions based on the results.

Paula explained: “This document is a powerful tool in the hands of healthcare professionals as it distils the essence of ketone monitoring, simplifying complex data into actionable steps.

“It enables them to make informed decisions around ketones to pre-emptively address issues before they escalate, potentially saving lives and improving patient outcomes.”

She added: “Ketones, often overlooked, are crucial indicators of a lack of insulin and can be an early sign of diabetic ketoacidosis.

“Monitoring for ketones is a vital aspect of patient care so simplifying the complex topic of ketones is crucial to assist healthcare professionals to make timely and informed decisions.”

People with diabetes account for one in three hospital inpatients and they are often in hospital for reasons other than their diabetes, so it is important that staff across all specialties understand the basics of diabetes care to ensure patient safety.

The D1abasics campaign also includes other resources such as posters, lanyards and prompt cards. These resources are available via the DISN network here.

‘Start with the D1abasics’ is developed by the diabetes team at University Hospital Southampton with funding and support from the charity Diabetes UK.

Download ‘Monitoring for ketones’ here.