title: Diabetes nurse case management: an effective tool.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In March 2000, a large tertiary military medical treatment facility on the east coast implemented a diabetes nurse case management program to coordinate care for patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 or type 2 and a hemoglobin A1c value of 8.0% or greater. Although proven successful for patients while enrolled in the program, there was a lack of research that evaluated how successful patients were at continuing diabetes self-management once discharged. This study evaluated glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (A1c), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in patients at admission, discharge, and 6 months following discharge from the program.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective medical record review of laboratory data was evaluated using descriptive statistics and paired t-test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant reductions in A1c and TC values from admission to discharge were achieved, which the patients maintained 6 months following discharge. There was also a significant reduction in LDL value from admission to 6 months following discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports the value of nurse case management for patients with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Naval Ambulatory Care Center, Groton, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara Ann
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Mullen
authors.forename: Patricia Ann Watts
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Kelley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004608:Eligibility Determination; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012648:Self Care
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin