The lived experience of the diabetes nurse specialist regular check-ups, as narrated by patients with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to elucidate the lived experience of regular diabetes nurse specialist check-ups among patients with type 2 diabetes.


BACKGROUND
Diabetes care with diabetes nurse-led clinics in primary care has been established in Sweden since the 1980s. Information about patients' lived experience of these regular check-ups is important in the further development of diabetes nursing in primary care.


METHODS
Narrative interviews were conducted with 10 women and 10 men with type 2 diabetes regarding their lived experience in everyday life and the regular check-ups by the diabetes nurse specialist. A phenomenological-hermeneutic method inspired by Ricoeur was used in the analysis.


RESULTS
Patients'- with type 2 diabetes - lived experience of regular check-ups showed an overall positive influence on the patients' way of living with the disease by underpinning and developing their understanding and management of daily life. This influence was interpreted as an interlinked chain comprising the following elements; being confirmed, being guided within the disease process, becoming confident and independent and being relieved. Every link contained a positive influence from being dependent-independent, autonomous and a feeling of freedom in patients striving for an everyday life with a disease under control.


CONCLUSIONS
The development of diabetes-nurse-led clinics from the perspective of the patient must consider the patient's individual need for support and continuity with the diabetes nurse specialist. Consultations with collaborative partnership and specific expertise that is easy to access implied autonomous disease self-management in terms of patients' own control of the disease over time. In view of the increasing number of patients with diabetes, this could positively impact the availability of diabetes nursing care.
Edwall
Lise-Lotte
LL
The Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Göteborg, Sweden. Lise-lotte.edwall@epost.tidanet.se
Hellström
Anna-Lena
AL
Ohrn
Ingbritt
I
Danielson
Ella
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D009720:Nurse Clinicians; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009819:Office Visits; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012648:Self Care; D013548:Sweden