Diabetes knowledge of nurses providing community care for diabetes patients in Auckland, New Zealand.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify and compare knowledge of diabetes including risk factors for diabetes-related complications among the three main groups of primary health care nurses.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional survey of practice, district and specialist nurses (n=1091) in Auckland, New Zealand, 31% were randomly sampled to complete a self-administered questionnaire and telephone interview, designed to ascertain nurses' knowledge of diabetes and best practice, in 2006-2008.


RESULTS
All 287 nurses (response rate 86%) completed the telephone interview and 284 the self-administered questionnaire. Major risk factors identified by nurses were excess body weight for type 2 diabetes (96%) and elevated plasma glucose levels or glycosylated haemoglobin (86%) for diabetes-related complications. In contrast, major cardiovascular risk factors were less well identified, particularly smoking, although by more specialist nurses (43%) than practice (14%) and district (12%) nurses (p=0.0005). Cardiovascular complications, particularly stroke, were less well known than microvascular complications, and by significantly fewer practice (13%) and district (8%) nurses than specialist nurses (36%, p=0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
In general, nurses had better knowledge of overweight as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus and elevated plasma glucose levels as a risk factor for diabetes-related complications compared with knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors, particularly smoking.
School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. Electronic address: b.daly@auckland.ac.nz.
Barbara
B
Daly
School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Bruce
B
Arroll
School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Nicolette
N
Sheridan
School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Timothy
T
Kenealy
School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Robert
R
Scragg
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003153:Community Health Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D024802:Nurse's Role; D064691:Nurses, Community Health / Q000523:psychology*; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses'; D059017:Primary Care Nursing; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D000078329:Workforce
Diabetes; Diabetes-related complications; Guidelines; Knowledge; Primary health care nurses