Nurse-led education programme enhancing foot care self-efficacy in high-risk diabetes population: pilot randomised controlled study

Abstract Aims The purpose of this study was to evaluate of a 5-week nurse-led educational programme on foot care self-efficacy in high-risk diabetic patients with current foot ulcers. Methods A pilot randomised controlled study was conducted in five acute care hospitals in Switzerland. Nineteen subjects (16 males and 3 females, aged 44–84 years) were randomly assigned to receive foot care education or standard care. Included were patients with diabetes, aged 18 years or older and in treatment for ulceration and/or amputation of the lower limp. The primary outcome measure was the development of foot care self-efficacy determined by the Foot Care Confidence Scale questionnaire (FCCS). The outcome was assessed 5 weeks after randomisation and education. Results The results demonstrated that an evidence-based education programme for high-risk patients can promote short-time foot care-related self-efficacy. While the group comparison showed no significant difference between the groups before and after the intervention, there was a significant difference in self-efficacy comparing the change of the FCCS from baseline to Week 5. Self-efficacy in the intervention group (IG) (M = 9.5, SD ±7.6) was significantly enhanced compared to the control group (CG) (M = 0.64, SD ±8.4, t(17) = 2.4, p = 0.031, r = 0.5). The FCCS score in the IG was significantly higher after the intervention (T = 0, p = 0.02, r = 0.5) compared to the CG after 5 weeks (T = 26.5, p = 0.92, r = 0.02). Conclusions This pilot study demonstrated that nurses successfully accomplish interventions to enhance foot care-related self-efficacy. It is therefore necessary that nurses continue taking such important supporting roles. A larger study, however, is needed to confirm this preliminary data.