Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the H.A.N.D.S.SM Program: A School Nurse Diabetes Management Education Program

The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of the Helping Administer to the Needs of the Student with Diabetes in Schools (H.A.N.D.S.(sm)) continuing education program in improving the level of experience and competence in performing services associated with diabetes care. This program is a live course for school nurses providing clinical information about diabetes management and their professional role in the care of students with diabetes. Pre- and post-surveys were administered via e-mail to assess their level of experience and competence in diabetes care. A total of 105 nurses completed both surveys and were included in the analysis. The changes between pre- and post-survey questions were assessed. The H.A.N.D.S. participants' levels of experience and competence for each of the four categories of diabetes care improved significantly, and a greater number of nurses reported being able to perform the services independently and having the ability to teach others.