Introduction: Achieving and maintaining good health is a process that is influenced by healthcare as well as voluntary personal efforts and the help of medical professionals. The participation of the nurse as a specialist is a determining factor for the quality of life, prevention and the future results from the fight against diabetes mellitus.
Purpose of the study: To study the activity of school nurses in relation to preventive healthcare and treatment of children with diabetes mellitus.
Scope and methods: A survey has been conducted among 150 school nurses from Varna, Sliven and Sofia about their activities related to the preventive healthcare and treatment of children with diabetes mellitus. Statistical processing of the results was completed using SPSS v. 20.0: analysis of variance, comparative and correlation analysis.
Results: Almost half of the school nurses - 43.3% report that families need special training on diet in relation to body mass reduction. According to the survey, a significant number of the nurses report that routine check-ups have not been performed to children aged between 14 and 18 - 71.3%, which greatly complicates the disease prevention process, and 85.3% report that in their practice they often identify complications caused by diabetes.
Conclusion: The analysis results show that performing routine check-ups is not a tradition or general practice in our country, therefore school nurses assistance is not required very often. On the other hand, there is a strong necessity for trainings that can be preformed by the school nurse during tutor classes or organized meetings with the parents.
American Diabetes Association (ADA). Standards of medical care in diabetes. Diabetes Care 2008; 31(Suppl 1): S16-24.
American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes- 2009. Diabetes Care 2009; 32 (Suppl 1): S13-S61.
Amillategui B, Calle JR, Alvarez MA, Cardiel MA, Barrio R. Identifying the special needs of children with type 1 diabetes in the school setting. An overview of parents' perceptions. Diabet Med 2007; 24: 1073-9.
Arzaghi SM., Sharghi S. Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences; Diabetes Guideline. Charity Foundation for Special Disesases, 2008. Available in http://vcemrc.tums.ac.ir/ lasted updated 2009, in Persian language.
Aubert RE, Herman WH, Waters J, Moore W, Sutton D, Peterson BL, Bailey CM, Koplan JP. Nurse case management to improve glycemic control of diabetic patients in a health maintenance organization. Ann Intern Med 1998; 124: 605-12.
Blonde L, Guthrie R, Parkes JL, Ginsberg BH. Diabetes disease state management by diabetes educators in managed care [abstract]. Diabetes1997; 46(Suppl 1): 61A.
Carey N, Courtenay M. Service delivery by nurse prescribers for diabetes care. Nurse Prescribing 2007; 5(10): 443–49.
Helping the students with diabetes succeed, a guide for school personnel. National Diabetes Education Program 2003. A Joint Program of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Khoshniat M, Komeylian Z, Maadi M, Peimani M, Heshmat R, Larijani B. The effect of different educational methods on the level of knowledge of school health- care workers of juvenile diabetes in elementary schools of Tehran. Iranian Journal of Diabetes and Lipid Disorders 2008; 6(4): 343-49.
Mertig IG. The nurse's guide to teaching diabetes self-management. New York, Springer Publisher; 2007.
Sadur C, Moline N, Costa M, Michalik D, and Roller S, et al. Diabetes management in a health maintenance organization (HMO): efficacy of clusters visits [abstract]. Diabetes 1997; 46 (Suppl 1): 61A.
Snock FJ. Psychological aspects of diabetes. Translated by Hakim Shoshtari M, Arzaghi SM. Tehran, Vista Publication, 2009.
