Partnering with patients to promote holistic diabetes management: changing paradigms

To provide a review of best practice for clinical management of diabetes mellitus (DM) for nurse practitioners (NPs) and accelerate incorporation of key findings into current practice.

A search was conducted in Pub Med, Ovid, CINAHL, and Cochrane's Database of Systematic Reviews.

There are many challenges for DM care identified in the current health system. There is a great need to change care paradigms to engage patients in partnership for enhanced management and self-management in DM. A review of the best practice evidence revealed numerous models of care, strategies, and tools available to enhance diabetes care and promote health and well-being. The primary focus of this article is to engage NP clinicians to incorporate new strategies to augment management and improve clinical outcomes.

Incorporation of best practice for DM management may accelerate the paradigm shift to more patient-focused care. Engaged, informed, and activated patients along with clinicians working in partnerships may enhance clinical outcomes.