Measuring diabetes-related attitudes: the use of a USA-developed instrument with Australian nurses

School Nurses' Diabetes-Related Attitudes and Self-efficacy in Diabetes Education and Management

This study explored relationships between school nurses' diabetes-related attitudes, self-efficacy in diabetes management and education, and care practices. One-hundred fourteen school nurses who have taken care of students with type 1 diabetes in public schools comprised this descriptive study sample. Participants completed online surveys. School nurses' diabetes-related attitudes were not related to their self-efficacy in diabetes education, but nurses' attitudes towards the psychosocial impact of diabetes were significantly related to their self-efficacy in diabetes management, and the number of students with diabetes was a significant contributor to this relationship. Nurses' full-time status and the type of school they worked in were significantly related to their self-efficacy in providing diabetes education. School nurses' positive attitudes about providing care for students with diabetes were related to having a higher level of self-efficacy in providing diabetes management. Based on the findings, recommendations are made for health consolidated schools and full-time school nurses.

Changes in attitudes toward diabetes in nursing students at diabetes camp

AIM

The research purpose was to determine whether exposure to residential diabetes camps affects attitudes toward diabetes care and management in nursing students.

BACKGROUND

Summer camp for children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) provides a unique and engaging clinical environment for nursing students to learn about evolving diabetes care and to help children develop diabetes management skills.

METHODS

This prospective, pretest/posttest study assessed student nurses' attitudes about diabetes, who attended one of four residential summer camps in the United States, using the Diabetes Attitude Survey 3 (DAS3). The survey was administered before and after clinical experience designed to fulfill experiential curricula requirements from various nursing programs.

RESULTS

After attending diabetes camp, nursing students (N = 73) had a positive change in their attitudes regarding the need for special training and the psychosocial impact of diabetes.

DISCUSSION

The diabetes camp clinical experience impacted nursing students' attitudes. Diabetes camps are a unique clinical setting that uses learned clinical knowledge and judgment to promote health and prevent disease and disability, supporting the integration of primary care and public health nursing.

Pharmacists' attitudes toward diabetes

OBJECTIVES

To assess pharmacists' attitudes toward diabetes, to evaluate the measurement properties of the Diabetes Attitude Scale (DAS) in a sample of pharmacists, and to estimate the number and attitudes of pharmacists certified as diabetes educators (CDE).

DESIGN

Mail survey.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

A systematic sample of 522 hospital, community, and other pharmacists registered with the professional pharmacy association in Alberta, Canada.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The survey contained the 31 items of the DAS with 4 additional items that addressed attitudes toward the role of the pharmacist.

RESULTS

Response rate was 65%. Pharmacists' mean attitude scores were positive to strongly positive toward the Special Training, Control/Complications, Team Care, and Pharmacist's Role factors and neutral toward the Compliance, NIDDM, Difficult to Treat, and Outpatient Education factors. Pharmacists' attitudes varied based on practice setting, year of graduation, and whether they had diabetes or a CDE designation. Most factor scores had good reliability.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacists agree that they should be part of the health care team for managing diabetes, should be required to have specialized training to provide primary diabetes care, and that they have the skills to become diabetes educators.

Women living with type II diabetes: the intrusion of illness

This study is part of a larger research project which aimed to create an understanding of how people with type II diabetes incorporated chronic illness into their lives. We aimed to find wellness in the context of a chronic illness. The participatory action-orientated research (PAR) approach is consumer based and managed, and six women with diabetes and the research team met for eight two-hour sessions in August and September 1998. The objectives were to contribute to understanding of the health of adults who live with chronic illness by providing greater insight and understanding into the worlds of people who live with a chronic illness and allowing the voices of people with diabetes to be clearly heard in relation to their health. There was a wellness theme around taking time out, but considering the other dominant negative experiences, this study can only be considered as an attempt to find wellness in the context of chronic illness. The PAR process, built upon sharing, listening and reconstructing stories, worked toward the women being heard and having a voice for the first time. Listening and acting upon the voices of the women has implications for the practice of health care professionals.