Aims and objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led online educational programme based on patients with diabetes mellitus treated with initial basal insulin therapy.
Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) need to be treated with insulin to control hyperglycaemia and reduce the risk of diabetic complications when oral hypoglycaemic drugs are not effective or contraindicated. Current practices emphasise the leading role of nurses in patients treated with initial basal insulin therapy after discharge. The introduction of nurse-led online education within this area is a relatively new programme.
Design: This study was a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent, two-group, comparison group design.
Methods: The study selected 800 patients with T2DM hospitalised in the Department of Endocrinology at a Chinese hospital from July 2018 to June 2020 who were initially treated with insulin. According to the time sequence, 400 patients from July 2018 to June 2019 were divided into the control group and 400 patients from July 2019 to June 2020 into the intervention group. The control group received routine health education and doctor-led follow-up based on routine health education. The intervention group received systematic health education and online insulin injection activities led by nurses. The effects were evaluated after 3 and 6 months of intervention. The TREND checklist was followed to ensure rigour in the study.
Results: In total, 339 patients were enrolled in the intervention group and 333 patients within the control group. According to the analysis, 3 months after the intervention, the compliance rate of fasting blood glucose (FBG) (rate difference: 0.078, 95% CI: 0.006-1.150, p < .05) and HbA1c (%) (rate difference: 0.070, 95% CI: 0.001-0.137, p < .05) between the intervention and control groups were statistically significant; 6 months after the intervention, the compliance rate of FBG (rate difference: 0.077, 95% CI: 0.007-0.14, p < .05) and HbA1c (%) (rate difference: 0.106, 95% CI: 0.324-0.180, p < .01) between the intervention and the control groups were statistically significant. The total score of the 'My Opinion on Insulin' scale in the intervention group was (80.18 ± 6.68), and in the control group was (71.15 ± 8.17), there was a significant difference in the scale between the two groups (mean difference: 9.03, 95% CI: 7.900-10.160, p < .01). Through a multivariable regression model, in order to correct the important baseline characteristics, the daily insulin dosage, and the total score of the 'My Opinion on Insulin' scale after 6 months of intervention were independent risk factors for the two intervention methods in diabetic patients treated with initial basal insulin therapy (p < .05).
Conclusions: A nurse-led online programme was feasible and effective for patients with diabetes mellitus treated with initial basal insulin therapy. This programme could effectively be used to reduce the patient's daily insulin dose, as well as improve the patients' compliance using insulin therapy.
Relevance to clinical practice: Nurse-led online education has a role in implementing a safe, standardised, and sustained approach to patients with diabetes mellitus treated with initial basal insulin therapy during follow-up after discharge.
Keywords: basal insulin; fasting plasma glucose; glycosylated haemoglobin; mobile health; nurse-led; type 2 diabetes mellitus.
© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.