Endocrine Nursing: Managing Diabetes Mellitus, Pituitary, Thyroid, Parathyroid and Adrenal Disorders Through the Nursing Process

An endocrine nursing module whose stated outcome is to manage patients with endocrine disorders using the nursing process. Diabetes mellitus is treated as a group of metabolic diseases characterised by hyperglycaemia from defects in insulin secretion, action or both, with its effects on carbohydrate, fat, protein, water and electrolyte metabolism, its acute complications and the long-term damage to the eye, kidneys, nerves and heart. The disorders then follow gland by gland - diabetes insipidus, acromegaly and dwarfism from the pituitary; hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, simple goitre and thyroid cancer from the thyroid; hyperparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism; and Cushing's disease, Addison's disease, phaeochromocytoma and primary aldosteronism from the adrenal - each with its definition, cause, clinical features, investigation and nursing management.