Diabetes care concentration: a program of study for advanced practice nurses

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases
• Nursing Education
• Public Health

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus is a growing public health concern requiring specialized care.
• Advanced practice nurses play a crucial role in managing chronic diseases like diabetes.
• Existing Master's programs lacked a dedicated focus on comprehensive diabetes care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a Master's level concentration in diabetes care.
• To enhance the training of advanced practice nurses in diabetes management.
• To integrate an epidemiological perspective into diabetes care education.

Main Methods:

• Collaborative development between a Diabetes Research and Training Center and a University School of Nursing.
• Curriculum design focused on advanced diabetes management and care.
• Program evolution tracked over a 5-year period.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of a Master's concentration in diabetes.
• Graduates achieved certification as diabetes educators.
• Graduates completed Master's theses contributing to diabetes care research.
• Generated practice-oriented publications stemming from thesis work.

Conclusions:

• The program effectively prepared advanced practice nurses for specialized diabetes care.
• The concentration enhanced the capacity for evidence-based diabetes management.
• Graduates' contributions advanced both clinical practice and scholarly work in diabetes care.