Rachael is a Clinical Nurse and Credentialled Diabetes Educator at the Mater Queensland Diabetes and Endocrine Centre (QDEC), and she runs the Insulin Pump Therapy service for patients with type 1 diabetes.  

Insulin Pump Therapy is an alternative way to administer insulin instead of a patient with type 1 diabetes needing to have multiple daily injections. It is the size of a small pager and delivers a continuous infusion of rapid acting insulin.

“Pump Therapy has revolutionised how we treat people with type 1 diabetes, it allows our patients greater freedom and flexibility over their lives while providing them with independence to manage their diabetes themselves,” Rachael said.

“This type of therapy has been around for decades, it started with such a large device that needed to be worn as backpack. The technology is continuously improving, and we are proud to be able to upgrade the devices for our patients every four years.”

“As a clinician, the device gives me the tools to empower my patients to better manage their diabetes, which ultimately leads to improved health outcomes and reduced risk of further complications with their condition. “

Continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) if paired with a pump, are able to create hybrid loop systems where the CGMS monitors a person‘s glucose reading every 5 minutes and adjusts the delivery of insulin accordingly. Our users report overall improvements in their general health and quality of life and are less likely to be hospitalised with diabetes related health issues.

To support patients with Insulin Pump Therapy the clinic also runs the Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating (DAFNE) program to educate patients on how to use their devices and manage their diabetes.