Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Mattie Burton

Abstract

Diabetes is a condition that can lead to foot ulcers that often progress to amputation of a limb. Providing patients with education about foot care is crucial because it can help to prevent or minimize the incidence of foot ulcer development and amputation of a limb. Foot care education as a strategy not only empowers patients with proper foot care knowledge and skill to support and motivate self-care but can also enhance the partnership between the provider and patient. The purpose of this quality improvement project was the implementation of a sustainable evidence-based foot care program for adult patients with diabetes as a routine organizational protocol for quality improvement in diabetic care in a primary care clinic. The question for this project was: How does the implementation of an evidence-based diabetic foot care protocol impact the health outcomes of diabetic patients in a primary care clinic? Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory and the logic model for evidence-based practice were used to guide this DNP project. The research method for the quality improvement project was a review of the literature. The participants were staff and adults with diabetes at the primary care clinic. The results of the chart review showed that 80% of the charts included documented foot assessments and patient education, which was an improvement when compared to 40% pre-implementation of the foot care program. The program has improved the foot health knowledge and skills of clinicians and people with diabetes and has also helped to reduce the burden of healthcare costs related to the lower incidence of hospitalization for the treatment of wounds and amputation associated with complications of diabetes.

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