OpinionOpen Access

The Importance of the Nurse’s Role in the Management of Complex Diabetic Outpatients: It is the Time to Manage Patient’s Multidimensions

Volume 5 - Issue 2

**Marika Lo Monaco^2,3,4, RaffaellaMallaci Bocchio^2,3, Giuseppe Natoli^2,3, Salvatore Corrao*^1,2,3,4**

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- ¹Department of internal medicine and medical specialities, Centre of Research for Effectiveness and Appropriateness in Medicine, Italy
- ²National Relevance and High Specialization Hospital Trust ARNAS Civico, Di Cristina,Benfratelli in Palermo
- ³Department of Science and Technology, EuroMediterranean Institute of Science and Technology
- ⁴Doctorate School of biomedicine and Neuroscience University of Palermo, Italy
*Corresponding author: Salvatore Corrao,Internal Medicine Department, Italy

Received: June 01, 2018; Published: June 12, 2018

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.05.001205

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Abstract

Diabetes is a significant chronic disease, 424.9 million people worldwide are estimated to have diabetes in 2017,and this number is expected to increase to 628.6 million by 2045[1]. More and more patients with diabetes areaffected by other comorbidities, in fact, more than 40% of diabetic people have 3 or more comorbidities [2]. Another important aspect is that, as population ageing, health needs tend to become more complex,multimorbidity, the co-occurrence of multiple diseases in the same patient, represents the mostrelevant featureamong older adults, with a prevalence from 55% to 98% [3]. Inevitably, the coexistence of chronic diseases isoften accompanied by polypharmacy (daily intake of five or more drugs), that could createa frailty condition,poor adherence to therapies, unknown Diabetes Quality of life (DDI) and inappropriatehospital admission, withsignificant implications on economic resources [4,5].In light of these reasons themanagement of complex diabetic outpatients should be reviewed,and nurses might play a central role to improve quality of care and patient quality of life.

Keywords: Nursing Assessment; Diabetes Mellitus; Comorbidity; Outpatients; Clinical pathway; Patient Care Management; Chronic Disease; Needs Assessment; Clinical Complexity; Therapeutic Reconciliation;Diabetes Quality of life

Abbreviations: DDI: Drug-Drug Interactions; CIRS: Cumulative IllnessRating Scale;DQOL:Diabetes Quality of life; ABI: AnklebrachialIndex; MMSE:Mini-Mental StateExamination;SBT:ShortBlessed Test;GDS : Geriatric Depression Scale;MNA: Mini Nutritional AssessmentTest

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