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Volume 26 |
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Published by : PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS |
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Volume 26 |
January - March 2010 |
Number 1 |
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Nurses understanding about diabetes in a
Nigerian Tertiary HospitalUnadike B.C1, Etukumana E.A2
ABSTRACT
Objective: Diabetes mellitus is a growing public health problem in the world. Health education by health workers is a key factor in the prevention of this chronic disease. The objective of the study was to determine nurses understanding of diabetes mellitus.
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital between June to December, 2008. Registered nurses were questioned about the clinical features, diagnosis, complications and management of diabetes mellitus. The results were analyzed using appropriate statistical method.
Results: A total of 113 nurses completed the questionnaire. Majority were below 50 years and were ward nurses. About 86.7% correctly identified the definition of diabetes mellitus (p < 0.01) and 26.7% identified <7mmol/l as the fasting plasma glucose diagnostic cut off for DM. Ninety seven percent agreed that DM is a chronic disease (p < 0.01). Polyuria (63.7%) and polydypsia (90.3%) were the commonest clinical features of DM identified.
Insulin therapy was the most common form of management identified by 67.9% of the subjects. Majority (83.2%) agreed that weight reduction is useful. About two-thirds (67.2%) identified two oral hypoglycaemic drugs while 25(22.1%) could not identify any type of insulin. Most subjects (94.7%) could correctly identify treatment for hypoglycaemia, with 7.1% of the nurses saying that insulin can be used to treat hypoglycaemic coma. The eye (82.3%) was the most common organ identified as being complicated with DM. Less than half of the nurses could identify the symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis while about half (50.9%) of the nurses could identify at least one symptom of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Conclusion: Nurses’ knowledge of diabetes mellitus in Uyo is adequate; however, there are deficits in certain aspects of diabetes management. Organization of regular diabetes educational programmes for nurses will improve these deficiencies in knowledge
KEY WORDS:
Diabetes, Nurses, Knowledge, Awareness.Pak J Med Sci January - March 2010 Vol. 26 No. 1 217-222
How to cite this article:
Unadike BC, Etukumana EA. Nurses Understanding About Diabetes in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital. Pak J Med Sci 2010;26(1):217-222
1. Unadike B.C,
Dept. of Internal Medicine
2. Etukumana E.A,
Dept. of Family Medicine
1-2. University of Uyo Teaching Hospital
Uyo – Akwa Ibom State. Nigeria.
Correspondence:
Unadike B. C,
E-mail: bernadike@yahoo.com
* Received for publication: October 17, 2009
* Accepted: November 26, 2009
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