1.If patients don’t believe their diabetes is serious, they will not make the changes necessary to improve their health.

2.Communicate with the patients the choices they make each day affect their health.  For example, do they decide to go for a walk or eat healthy.

3.There is not one way to treat a patient with diabetes.  They need to know what their options are so that they can be involved in the decision making process.

4.Teach patients that significant changes in their lives need to be done by setting small goals at a time and then realizing they can have success.