Hospitalization as a setting for health education for people with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective: The study’s purpose has been to further understand how nurses implement the nursing care towards diabetes bearing people, by taking into consideration the health education approach in hospital setting. Methods: It is a descriptive research with a qualitative approach. A total of 13 nurses were interviewed in a general hospital, where a conventional data analysis was then carried out. Results: Based on the findings, the following two categories appeared: obstacles in the educational care to the hospitalized person with diabetes, citing: lack of professionals, excessive work demands, structure and inadequate materials, lack of health education routines and failures in continuing education; and the possibilities for developing the educational dimension of nursing care in a hospital, including: education in individual and collective health; diabetes nurse specialist and communication between health services. Conclusion: Hospitalization is a propitious moment to implement the health education to people with diabetes and nurses must be proactive and identify themselves as organizers of educational activities for hospitalized people with diabetes.