You know how some days are rather uneventful, rolling into the next without much excitement? Other days stand out, and you remember each and every rich detail.
When I was six years old and in first grade, I was hospitalized with pneumonia. I spent one week in the hospital, in an oxygen tent (anyone remember those?). Every detail is still crystal clear to me, down to the little boy who shared my hospital room and stole the saltine crackers I was hoarding in the drawer of my bedside table. Individually wrapped saltine crackers are a big deal for a six-year old.
The day that I was trained on the diabetes Conversation Map education tools is another one of those days that stands out in my memory. On that summer evening in 2007, I traveled to downtown Chicago with two of my coworkers. We were all looking forward to the session.
The training session was engaging and exciting for me, as I had been providing didactic education for much of my career. I remember the lead facilitator, and her excitement and enthusiasm in sharing information on these new tools.
The Conversation Map tools really stole the show. Do you remember the first time you saw the Maps? They were so unlike any other teaching tool. It reminded me of the first time I learned, at a conference in the mid 90’s, that it was total carbohydrates that effected blood glucose, not sugar. At that time, it too was revolutionary information. I went back to my workplace after the conference and told my coworkers that we didn’t need to worry so much about grams of sugar. They thought it was ridiculous! I got much the same reaction when I tried to share initial data on the glycemic index. It took some time for this new information to be accepted.
When I shared information on the “new” Conversation Map tools, the reaction by my colleagues was different, better. The Maps and the methodology make sense and immediately seem to be the right thing to do, the right way to educate.
I just returned from New Brunswick, NJ where I facilitated my first training session with a group of educators from St. Peter’s University Hospital. It is also one of those days that will stand out for me, as I am used to walking to a conference room for education, not flying to another state!
Being able to facilitate the session and share my experience with the Maps was exciting, but what I really enjoyed was getting to know the educators at St. Peter’s and their current challenges and successes in providing diabetes education.
Do you remember the day you were trained, and your first impressions of the tools? Did you embrace the Maps, or were you leery to let go of your old ways of delivering diabetes education?
I look forward to hearing from you, and to training more educators!
Cathy