Marina Harris-Hardaway

Scholarly Project Advisor: Nancy Novotny PhD, RN, CNE.

Affiliated Organization where the project occurred: Community Health Care Clinic, Normal, IL.

Any Funding you received for the Project: No funding was received for this project.

External Dissemination of the Project (Podium or Poster): MNRS conference poster presentation, March 2023.

Publication: Harris-Hardaway, M.B., Novotny, N. L., Sawyer, J. D., & Schmitt, E. (2023). Structured Outpatient Diabetes Education and Telehealth Follow-up to Improve HbA 1c. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 38(3), 220-225.

Background

More than 10% of Americans have diabetes, with higher rates in Hispanics and African Americans. National Healthy People 2030 goals for expected decrease in HbA1c levels have not been met.

Local Problem

No standardized diabetes education or follow-up existed at a free clinic. Patients exhibited diabetic self-management inadequacies and elevated HbA1c levels.

Methods

A pre/postimplementation study design was used to evaluate changes in HbA1c levels, medication adherence, missed appointments, and emergency department visits.

Interventions

Structured diabetes education and follow-up text/phone messages for patients with HbA1c levels 8% or higher were implemented over 3 months.

Results

Outcome data were available for 27 of the 34 participants. Postimplementation, there was a significant 1.7% decrease in mean HbA1c levels (P < .001). No significant differences were found for the other outcome measures.

Conclusions

Structured diabetes education and follow-up text/phone messages in a free clinic improved patients' HbA1c levels.