Factors that influence diabetes patient teaching performed by hospital staff nurses

Hospital staff nurses are frequently expected to teach patients and families with diabetes. A study was conducted to answer the questions: (1) According to nurses' perceptions, what factors influence conducting diabetes education? (2) Do staff nurses have sufficient knowledge to teach diabetes management principles? Thirty-nine staff nurses from adult units of a university hospital completed an investigator-designed survey and a Diabetes Knowledge Test (DKT). Eleven nurses attending a workshop on diabetes patient management were pre- and posttested to determine the workshop's effect on perceptions and knowledge. Perceived factors that interfered with teaching included lack of time, inadequate teaching skills, lack of patient interest in learning, and absence of a physician's order for teaching. The workshop had little influence on perceptions but significantly increased the mean DKT score from 70% to 78% (P = .03). The findings suggest that expecting all staff nurses to adequately educate patients in diabetes management may not be realistic.