Nurses’ roles in Supporting Self-management for Preventing Diabetic Foot Ulcer among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

        Diabetes is a chronic disease that requires self-management decisions to prevent or delay the onset of complications. Especially, diabetic foot ulcer is the main cause leading to amputation and impact on the quality of life of Diabetic patients. Thus, controlling the risk of diabetic foot ulcers and recurrence of diabetic foot ulcers is important for Patients with Diabetes Mellitus. Currently, there are empirical evidence supporting self-management is the key to preventing diabetic foot ulcers. If the diabetic patient has good foot care and increases the ability of self-management, it will directly affect the prevention of diabetic foot ulcers. Nurses are the closest healthcare providers to patients with Diabetes Mellitus. Nurses play important roles in supporting self-management of patients with Diabetes Mellitus to prevent the development of diabetic foot ulcers. The roles of nurses in supporting self-management include: 1) cure and medical management, 2) behavioral or role adjustment management, and 3) emotional management. The roles of nurses in self-management skills training for Patients with Diabetes Mellitus  to prevent diabetic foot ulcer include 1) problem solving skills 2) decision making skills 3) resource utilization skills 4) building partnership with health care provider skills 5) taking action skills and 6) self-tailoring skills in foot care to prevent diabetic foot ulcers. These result in the prevention of foot ulcers and always help maintaining healthy feet.