Introduction to the education programme

This online education programme has been created to assist you to work more effectively with  pregnant women who have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  The best clinical outcomes can be achieved when blood glucose levels are optimised and many women can achieve this with healthy lifestyle/behavioural changes.   You have an important role to play as a healthcare professional in facilitating and supporting these lifestyle/behavioural changes.  Research demonstrates that the diagnosis of gestational diabetes is distressing to women and they would like health carers to focus on them holistically and as individuals. They don't feel that their needs are met when the focus of care is on the diabetes alone.  As health carers we can help women to feel positive about the lifestyle/behavioural changes they need to make, to engage and motivate them and provide them with maternity care that meets their psycho-social and clinical healthcare needs.  To this end, this programme draws on the theory of salutogenesis and motivational interviewing techniques.

Salutogenesis is a philosophy and public health strategy that focuses not on the causes of disease but the origins of health. It requires that we approach the individual holistically to determine and focus on the factors that move them towards greater health. 

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a cognitive–behavioural technique that aims to help individuals identify and change behaviours that may be placing them at risk of developing health problems or may be preventing optimal management of a chronic condition. 

Salutogenesis and motivational interviewing can work hand in hand to bring about positive change in the health of the women in our care.

Navigation 

The education modules include  readings  and also videos. You can log in from any computer, however you may have difficulties connecting directly to YouTube videos on work computers.  If this happens, please click on the link above the 'unable to connect' window and then on the large 'Continue' button on the top right of the next screen.

Additional (optional) resources are provided at the end of the programme which you are welcome to access if you are interested. Please download them and/or copy links if you wish to save them for later as you will only have access to this site for a two-week period.

Please use the 'previous' and 'next' buttons to navigate back and forth between the articles, videos and information sections.