Document Type
DNP Project
Department
School of Nursing
Date of Degree
Spring 2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Primary Advisor
Dr. Joyce Knestrick, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Keywords
Primary Healthcare; Diabetes Management; Patient Education
Abstract
Background: Primary healthcare teams (PHCTs) comprising physicians, nurse practitioners, physician associates, certified nutritionists, and clinical pharmacists—are essential in managing diabetes and its complications. Due to the complex and chronic nature of diabetes, a standardized approach is necessary for effective diagnosis, treatment, management, and referral to specialty care.
Objectives: This project aimed to assess and improve primary healthcare teams' knowledge of diabetes self-management education (DSME) related to treating and managing diabetes in veterans receiving care at the Community-Based outpatient clinic (CBOC) in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
Methods: The adapted Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire and pre- and post-surveys were essential for assessing the primary healthcare team's (PHCT) initial knowledge and skills at baseline. The post-survey evaluated the education program's effectiveness, focusing on the team's knowledge, perceptions, and practices related to diabetes self-care management.
Results: The study included five physicians, one nurse practitioner, eleven registered nurses, two clinical pharmacists, and one registered nutritionist (n=20) at the Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). A Paired Samples T-Test showed a mean score improvement of 1.4 points after training, with a standard deviation of 1.569. The p-value was less than 0.001, indicating significant improvements.
Conclusions: This project demonstrated that enhancing diabetes self-management education (DSME) for Primary Healthcare Teams (PHCT) increased their knowledge in diabetes management, with a post-intervention p-value of less than 0.05. This improvement will improve diabetes care for veterans at the Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC).
Copyright Notice
©2025 Joseph Uke. All rights reserved.
Recommended Citation
Uke, J. (2025). Primary HealthCare Teams Diabetes Self-Management Education. , (). Retrieved from https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/son_dnp/172
Open Access
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