ABSTRACT
Although diabetic emergencies do not occur too often, they can provoke lifethreatening situations with fatal consequences (particularly if they are not identified quickly and treated appropriately). Hence, a thorough assessment of the patient is required, exercising caution in the assessment of the older person (as some symptoms may mimic other less acute conditions). Many of these emergencies are preventable (mainly through patient education), thus the role of the nurse as a health educator/promoter is essential. This chapter will discuss the three main diabetic emergencies that nurses may be exposed to within clinical practice.
