For last week’s practice question, we quizzed participants on SJ having questions about their insulin pen, and what would be the best response. % of respondents chose the best answer. We want to clarify and share this important information, so you can pass it on to people living with diabetes and your colleagues, plus prepare for exam success!
Before we start though, if you don’t want any spoilers and haven’t tried the question yet, you can answer it below: Answer Question
Katie is a 14-year-old living with type 1 diabetes since age 10. She uses multiple daily insulin injections (MDI) therapy to manage her diabetes and started using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) 3 months ago at the recommendation of her endocrinology team. Her A1c has increased to 9.2% since starting CCM technology.
Her mother reports that Katie has episodes of prolonged hyperglycemia when she is away from home. When at home, her mother will remind Katie to bolus based on the alerts she gets on the CGM share app. Katie reports she mutes alarms and alerts because she doesn’t want her classmates to hear them, afraid they will judge her. When you ask if she has uploaded her data to the school nurse or her endocrinology team she says, “The app is really confusing.” Her mother is frustrated with Katie for not paying attention to the CGM, saying, “She can text her friends without any problem; I don’t know why she struggles with the CGM”.
As the diabetes healthcare provider, how can you support Katie in improving her glycemic control?
- Turn on her CGM alarms but increase the high alarm so she doesn’t get as many hyperglycemia related alerts.
- Show her step-by-step how to use the app and how to troubleshoot the alerts and alarms.
- Have the school nurse monitor her CGM trends when Katie is at school, since her mom monitors the CGM trends when she is at home.
- Email Katie’s mother once a week for updates to make sure she is monitoring CGM trends.
Getting to the Best Answer
Answer A is incorrect: % chose this answer, “Turn on her CGM alarms but increase the high alarm so she doesn’t get as many
hyperglycemia related alerts.” Helping Katie turn on and increasing her high alarm will not help improve her glycemic control.
Answer B is correct: % chose this answer, “Show her step-by-step how to use the app and how to troubleshoot the alerts and alarms.” Guiding Katie through the CGM app and its functions helps her ask questions, resolve issues, and better monitor her glycemic control.
Answer C is incorrect: % chose this answer, “Have the school nurse monitor her CGM trends when Katie is at school, since her mom
monitors the CGM trends when she is at home.” Asking the school nurse to monitor CGM data while Katie is at school is not helping to improve Katie’s self-management skills.
Answer D is incorrect: % chose this answer, “Email Katie’s mother once a week for updates to make sure she is monitoring CGM
trends.” Emailing Katie’s mother does not help improve Katie’s CGM self-monitoring skills or her confidence level with the CGM app.
We hope you appreciate this week’s rationale! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our Question of the Week and participate in this fun learning activity!
Virtual DiabetesEd Training Conference
April 15th-17th, 2026
Gain fresh insights, practical tools, and a deeper understanding of the latest in person-centered diabetes care. Our expert team brings the ADA Standards of Care to life—covering medications, behavior change, technology, and more!
If you’re preparing for the CDCES or BC-ADM exam, this conference, paired with a handful of free bonus courses, serves as the ideal study companion! Plus, this content counts toward the ADA Standards requirements for CDCES Renewal.
With interactive co-teaching, we keep sessions engaging, relevant, and fun.
Let’s learn and grow together!
Course credits through AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, ACPE, ANCC, and CDR!
Program Objectives:
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Describe the current ADA Standards for diagnosis, goals, and person-centered diabetes management across the lifespan.
- Demonstrate insulin pattern management and dosing strategies in clinical scenarios.
- Implement timely screening and risk reduction strategies for microvascular and cardiovascular complications.
- Incorporate behavior change techniques and medical nutrition therapy to support people with diabetes self-management and lifestyle adjustment.
