Diabetes Education (Research Paper Sample)

Diabetes Education
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Diabetes Education
Diabetes is a chronic and life-threatening illness, but it can be very easily treated with careful care and supervision. Bull World Health Organ (2016) states that nearly 425 million adults had diabetes in 2016, and the figure is anticipated to grow to 629 million by 2045. The statistics also indicate that the incidence of diabetes has increased rapidly in low- and middle-revenue nations over the last decade than in elevated states. This illness is most common in adults and older people. Diabetic adults with a long history of illness are three times more likely to be admitted than people without a diabetic history.
Moreover, national statistics from the United Kingdom confirm this aspect by suggesting that a patient with a history of diabetes spends more time in the hospital than an individual without history, even if hospitalized for the same treatment or illness apart from diabetes (Nikitara et al., 2019). There are various complications associated with this type of disease. Foot ulcers and infections are some of the most frequent diabetes-related issues, and they have been seen to be on the rise since the last decade. If not handled properly, foot ulcers may lead to inflammation, gangrene, amputation, and eventually death (Thomas, 2019). On the other hand, diabetes is said to have a substantial adverse economic effect, affecting patients, their communities, and healthcare services in general.
Even though diabetes is a worldwide problem, there is no practical or a global alternative to providing treatment to patients. For instance, in some nations, the healthcare system requires nurses to play a significant role in caring for and teaching patients with diabetes, while in others, doctors play a prominent role in diabetes care (Nikitara et al., 2019). Concerning the requirement for increased care of patients with diabetes, various improvements have arisen in the health and care of diabetic patients and the involvement of nurses to address the rising incidence of Diabetes morbidity. Therefore, a change is necessary to get a grip on this illness. Consequently, this literature summary's key objective is to assess the importance of diabetes knowledge and comprehension in the battle against the illness and to determine the degree to which diabetes education is efficient, particularly for the nurses.
Furthermore, the research will include a systemic review of literature from 2014 to 2020 of various countries regarding the feasibility of diabetes education. The literary works' systematic analysis would depend on high-quality journals and review and evaluation of previous research on diabetes education. Thus, this literature will summarize the effectiveness of diabetes education initiatives and programs that promise to raise awareness to the nurses.
Literature Review
With the current health and lifestyle, many people are prone to diabetes, particularly hypoglycemia, not only in the US but also worldwide. Available research connects rising obesity and diabetes rates to urbanization and embracing a Western lifestyle that involves eating energy-dense diets and engaging in less physical activity (Thomas, 2019). Individuals in developing nations are increasingly able to afford a Western way of life. Temporal developments in developing countries from 1989 to 2003 revealed an increase in average housing standards, occupational shifts from more manual to office-based jobs, and improved economic conditions (Thomas, 2019). With these positive developments, there has been an uptick in obesity and diabetes prevalence. For instance, in India, the rate of diabetes increased three-fold during this period. Besides, there was a substantial rise in glucose level and abdominal obesity among teenagers in India between 2003 and 2008. Although deprivation in developing nations is still mostly linked to malnutrition, modernization is associated with high rates of obesity and diabetes among the affluent. In a survey conducted by Peterson et al. (2019), diabetes was recorded at 3.1% in rural regions and 7.3% in India's urban areas. Hence, diabetes was most prevalent in urban residents with abdominal obesity and sedentary lifestyles, while it was least prevalent in rural residents. These findings imply that the high rate of diabetes is closely linked to lifestyle. Thus, shifting the population's behaviors from an unhealthy to a healthier lifestyle may be an essential disease prevention tool.
Due to the increased number of people with diabetes in health centers, it is fair to assume that most nurses will have sufficient expertise and understanding of diabetes inpatient treatment and that diabetic patients will offer adequate and high-quality care. Oddly, evidence-based research suggests that years ago, patients often reported flawed inpatient perceptions, especially regarding a lack of Diabetes awareness among hospital personnel, particularly in nurses. Furthermore, no research on any globally or generally decided positions or obligations for diabetes for those nurse with non-specialized skillset could be found in the literature. As a result, to assess the current state of diabetes treatment, investigate any issues, and strengthen the diabetes care that nurses offer, they must consider their positions in diabetes supports and the facilitators and challenges that nurses face when fulfilling these functions.
Roles of Nurses in Diabetes Education
Most of the time, it is the healthcare practitioner's function to identify specific well-known symptoms which cause diabetes and, in this case, hypoglycemia. A methodology review by Nikitara et al. (2019) qualitative and quantitative research was implemented to identify how nurses identify this illness. The mixed methodology analysis enables examining complex problems at various stages and combining results examined in various ways. The report adopted the Joanna Briggs model's principles for mixed methods assessment to ensure its quality and reliability. This aspect was significant in answering questions such as:
What is the importance of a nurse to individuals with hypoglycemia?
What is the standard of diabetes treatment awareness among nurses?
What are the coordinators and obstacles to treatment for inpatients diabetics and training them on self-care management?
These questions are significant because by answering them, nurses can be termed as competent, and they can quickly know their place in caring for the inpatients and teaching them ways for further prevention.
Furthermore, the mixed approach was followed by a data analysis procedure using content analysis. Afterward, the position roles for the nurses towards the performance of inpatient care were identified. From the results, several roles of how a nurse should care for diabetic patients. Nurses can be categorized as educators, advanced caregivers, and motivators.
Educators
Education is vital in both the prevention of diabetes and its related problems. Diabetes education might be lacking in healthcare professionals as well. From a research, both diabetics and healthcare experts showed an absence of appreciation for the significance of the recurrent testing and tight hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes. Concerning this notion, several research pieces have looked at nursing care and discovered that nurses are heavily interested in teaching patients about treating their illness. Several studies indicate that nurses' roles in diabetes education are changing (Nikitara et al., 2019).
Further research has shown the beneficial effects of education on a patient’s state while nurses are engaged in the effectiveness of diabetes awareness in enhancing hypoglycemia control. More precisely, in a current descriptive exploratory review, Peterson et al. (2019) demonstrated the relevance of a nurse's position in patient education, with participants saying that one of their responsibilities was to be the tutor. They explained how they taught patients about their initial and recent condition, telling them about the illness, potential risks, and test outcomes.
Two reports further emphasize and affirm the significance of diabetes education. Nikitara et al. (2019) demonstrated this in a two-group randomized sample. In the research, one party received standard treatment. In contrast, the others received expert support and formal instruction from professionals such as specialist nurses accepted at the start of the investigation. According to the study's results, patients in the intervention class had minimum average glucose levels than those in the regular treatment group.
Similarly, Muche et al. (2020)showed that patients who got either standard treatment or community care had better results. Their findings indicate that people referred to community treatment had primarily supportive attitudes than those with typical appointments. Furthermore, patients in community care shared a broader, more articulated set of terms aligned with the care they received than patients in regular care, who often expressed principles with negative implications. Generally, the findings show that patients receiving standard treatment prefer to characterize their diagnosis and setting of care using terms that often mean suspicious behaviors and bad outcomes.
The outcomes from these researches have revealed a shift in nurses' role in diabetes education and the relevance of diabetes education in enhancing hypoglycemic evaluation. Therefore, nurses can play a vital part in maintaining the inpatients' healthcare by educating them on all necessary measur...