Talking #TeamCWPT blog

With Charlotte Tuckley, Type 1 Disordered Eating Diabetes Specialist Nurse 

Since primary school, any time someone asked Charlotte what she wanted to be when we she was older, she answered with 'nurse'. Despite being told she wasn't clever enough by teachers, Charlotte's dedication and hard work led her to being accepted into Coventry University to study nursing - the place she was meant to be.

Over a decade since qualifying and working in various settings, Charlotte now specialises in diabetes and has recently joined the Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating (T1DE) Service to help patients with their diabetes management and disordered eating. 

From student nurse to sister

Charlotte qualified as a registered adult nurse in 2009, and after working as a newly qualified nurse on a haematology and oncology ward, was permanently transferred to the Accident and Emergency department (A&E): I undertook a few placements in A&E as a student, and knew this was my passion. I knew I wanted to work there as a qualified nurse.

After spending 8 years in the A&E department, Charlotte progressed through to ranks to become a sister. I worked my way up from registered nurse to sister, where it was my job to oversee and lead the shift. Every day was different and something new, and although it was a challenging and fast paced environment, I absolutely adored it.

An opportunity arose to work once a week in a diabetes-focussed role, looking at improving A&E care for people with diabetes. Charlotte undertook this for a few months and knew it was something she wanted to do full time. It was really interesting work, and a calmer pace to the normal A&E environment. As soon as I started, I knew I wanted to specialise in diabetes full time. I transferred to the diabetes department at Warwick Hospital, and I haven't looked back. I've worked as a diabetes specialist nurse (DSN) since.

Becoming a diabetes nurse

Since specialising as a DSN, Charlotte has found her new passion. She loves being able to make a difference to each patient she supports. In this role, she's able to work closely with individual patients to support them, which is something she didn't get to do in A&E: The thing about being a DSN, in comparison to working in A&E, is that I'm able to be more person-centred. I work closely with people with diabetes on a one-to-one basis. I'm able to build professional relationships with patients, gaining their trust whilst supporting them with diabetes. I really enjoy being part of a patient's journey, supporting them every step of the way.

Advancements are ever growing within healthcare, and diabetes specifically, which means the role of the DSN is always evolving. From new technology to new drugs for treatment, there's always things to learn. Charlotte loves being able to continually develop and support her patients in new ways. In nursing, you're always being pushed and pulled in lots of directions and it's a constant education. Nursing isn't a stagnant profession. There's always lots to learn, and I'm able to apply that to my patients and see the impact it has.

Diabetes care is also always evolving, so being able to offer new treatments to patients who have previously been struggling to manage their diabetes is really empowering.

Diabetes and disordered eating

Whilst on maternity leave, Charlotte's then manager supported her to apply for a new role within the T1DE Service at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT). The role was a new position within the service, and an opportunity that couldn't be missed.

The role within T1DE wasn't something that normally comes up. As T1DE is 1 of 5 UK pilot services for diabetes and disordered eating, I knew I had to take the opportunity. I came straight from maternity leave into the role, and now work part time within T1DE at CWPT, and part time as a DSN at South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT).

It's been really interesting getting my teeth into something different. In T1DE, the focus is on how we can support patients from a mental health perspective, whereas I'm used to focussing on the physical health side of things. It's really got my brain working, especially after being off for just over a year with my baby!

In T1DE, Charlotte works closely with the disordered eating nurse to support patients. The team offer a holistic approach to patient care and work together to create treatment plans that are tailored to people's needs. Specifically, Charlotte looks at how medication plans can be tailored around people's lifestyles and offers guidance depending on how patients get on. It's been a completely different challenge working in T1DE, as I'm really looking at how we can manage diabetes within a different cohort of patients. Working as a DSN offered me a more person-centred role when I moved from A&E, but as a DSN within T1DE, the role is even more so. Having conversations and getting to know people, and slowly but surely, creating a safe space where patients can open up about how they're doing.

T1DE - a service with potential

Joining T1DE opened Charlotte's eyes to the vital work the service is doing, and how people with type 1 diabetes are more likely to suffer with an eating disorder. People with type 1 diabetes must think about food all the time. They have to check what they eat, how much they eat, and when they eat. Doing this every day can be very hard. For some people, this can increase the risk of developing problems with eating. People with T1DE can present a complex relationship with food and dieting, which can develop into an eating disorder and, consequently, lead to problems with their health.

T1DE has so much potential. From a patient perspective, I can see why the service is so important and why they offer a different and much needed approach to treatment. Before a diabetes diagnosis, people may have gone from eating whatever they want to having to monitor exactly what they eat. This can cause a considerable amount of mental stress, negative thoughts about food, leading to diabetes burnout and T1DE. 

The work we're doing doesn't just support patients; it helps their families and friends too. It does take time, it's not the same as physical health when you've had a check-up and that's it, it's a long-term approach to supporting people with their mental wellbeing as well as their diabetes. It's a service that will keep growing, we just need to nurture it and let people know that we're here and can support them.

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With thanks to Charlotte for sharing her story.

If you want to find out more about T1DE and how they're supporting people across Coventry and Warwickshire, take a look at our latest news.

If you or someone you know could benefit from the support our T1DE service offers, find out more about accessing the service.