Talat Naheed, Nabeel Akbar, Naueen Akbar.
Is there need of specialized diabetes nurses in Pakistan?.
Pak J Med Sci Jan ;19(2):75-9.

Objective: To assess the knowledge of the staff nurses of diabetes mellitus working in the various wards of a teaching hospital of Lahore. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Hospital based, on the staff nurses working in medical, surgical, cardiology, emergency and psychiatry wards of Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Main outcome measures: Knowledge of diabetes mellitus of staff nurses. Methods: Fifty qualified nurses interviewed through questionnaire designed to assess their knowledge about various aspects of diabetes. Results: Symptoms of disease known to the nurses were polyuria (86%), polydipsia (82%), delayed wound healing (74%) unexplained ill health (72%), whereas pruritus vulvae (62%), big sized babies at birth (42%), impotency (40%) were elicited in response to prompting. Sixty percent of them were unaware of gastrointestinal symptoms. They were better aware of hypertension (90%), chronic renal failure (70%), ischaemic heart disease (50%) as associated diseases with diabetes mellitus and least aware of autoimmune diseases. Confusion/drowsiness (92%), profuse sweating (80%), heart sinking (72%), blurring of vision (68%) fatigability (68%) pallor (52%), irritability (34%), lack of concentration (26%), feeling of hunger (20%) were known as hypoglycaemic symptoms. They generally had the knowledge of the treatment and was quite adequate. Diet control (92%), diet and exercise (96%), oral and parenteral hypoglycaemic agents (100%) were known to them. However they were less knowledgeable about alteration in treatment. Majority were of the opinion that patients should be controlled on oral hypoglycaemic agents and avoid parenteral drugs. Although nurses knew the diet plays the role in management of diabetes mellitus, but were not aware of types of food given to the patients or how to make changes in the diet. Conclusion: Nurses working in emergency, medical as well as surgical units should undergo refresher courses for 1-2 weeks in nursing care of diabetics. Effort should also be made to train specialized diabetic nurses. This would reduce the burden on doctors besides improving diabetic care.

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