“Nurse-Led Diabetic Foot Care Education: Enhancing Foot-Care Knowledge among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background: Diabetic foot complications are an important cause of morbidity among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Adequate knowledge regarding preventive foot care is essential for early recognition of foot problems and prevention of complications. Nurses play an important role in providing structured education and reinforcing appropriate foot-care practices. Aim: To assess the effectiveness of a nurse-led diabetic foot care programme on knowledge regarding diabetic foot care among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: A quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group design was adopted. The study was conducted among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending a selected hospital in Lucknow. Participants in the experimental group received a structured nurse-led diabetic foot care programme, while the control group received routine care. Knowledge regarding diabetic foot care was assessed using a structured knowledge questionnaire before and after the intervention.
Results: In the pre-test assessment, 56% of participants had inadequate knowledge, 40% had moderately adequate knowledge and 4% had adequate knowledge. Following the intervention, the proportion of participants with inadequate knowledge decreased to 2%, while the proportion with adequate knowledge increased to 56%. The proportion with moderately adequate knowledge was 42% in the post-test. The overall mean knowledge score increased from 9.91 in the pre-test to 16.20 in the post-test.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate a substantial improvement in knowledge regarding diabetic foot care following the nurse-led diabetic foot care programme. The findings support the incorporation of structured nurse-led diabetic foot education into routine diabetes care to strengthen preventive foot-care knowledge and self-management