DIABETES PERCEIVED AND ACTUAL LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE NURSING STAFF

The aim of the present study was to survey the level of actual and per ceived knowledge of several areas of diabetes pathophysiology and care by the nursing staff of general hospitals in northern Italy. To addre ss this issue, a random choice of 88 nurses working in three different public hospitals was made. The 84 nurses (95.5%), who accepted to tak e part in the survey, were given a self-made multiple choice questionn aire, in order to evaluate the level of actual and perceived knowledge about diabetes. A total of 24 questions was answered. A mean score of 16.3+/-3.5 out of a maximum of 24 points (69.6%) was obtained by the sample on actual knowledge. Of the 84 nurses who completed the questio nnaire: 30 (35.7%) scored more than 75% correct, 46 (54.8%) scored bet ween 50% and 75% correct, and 8 (9.5%) scored less than 50%. The mean score for perceived knowledge of the surveyed nurses was 23.4+/-1 (97. 5%). Our results suggest that a high percentage of nurses do not know enough to adequately follow-up and educate diabetic patients and, more over, the high level of perceived knowledge induces a false sense of s ecurity in them. Consequently, it is necessary to hold refresher cours es on diabetes mellitus and its care for the nursing staff and to impr ove the present programmes taught in the Nursing Schools in northern I taly.