A DIABETIC FOOT AND NURSING CARE

Abstract

Diabetic foot is a collection of various phenomena and disorders that appear on the feet in people with diabetes, mainly as a result of damage to peripheral nerves and blood vessels. According to the WHO, diabetic foot occurs as a result of disruption of the functional integrity of the damage caused by infection, wound and destruction of tissues, nerve fibers, as well as diseases of the blood vessels of the feet. Diabetic foot is an important medical, social and economic problem which significantly reduces the quality of life of the diabetic patient.

 The aim of this paper is to measure the knowledge of patients with hospitalized and non-hospitalized diabetes regarding diabetic foot.

 Prospective method was used to conduct this research. For the realization of the work was used the questionnaire for patients about their knowledge about diabetic foot, the questionnaire is compiled in accordance with the problems of patients related to diabetic foot. The research was conducted in the Vascular Clinic, the Endocrinology Clinic and in the specialist ambulant of both Clinics in UCCK-Prishtina in a period of time from 01.09.2016 to 30.09.2016.

The average age of patients was 56 ± years. Test results show that patients with diabetes over the age of 50 have more self-care skills compared to patients up to the age of 50. There are no gender differences in self-care skills. Whereas, at the level of education, patients with high school and bachelor level undertake more self-care activities than patients who have only primary school.

Patients through nursing counseling and education, can be trained in self-care and self-management of diabetes which will affect the prevention and reduction of complications of this disease.