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A Community Nurse's Role in Diabetes

About 8 percent of the U.S. population had diabetes in 2007, according to the American Diabetes Association. Community nurses play several key roles in the diabetes prevention and treatment.

  1. Recognize Warning Signs

    • It is possible that people can have diabetes symptoms or complications for years without knowing it. Therefore, it's the job of the community nurse to recognize warning signs in at-risk patients that seek medical attention for non-diabetes related health issues.

    Educate Patients

    • Community nurses are responsible for providing education to diabetics regarding self-care, nutrition and general disease management.

    Implement Screenings

    • Public screenings must be implemented in the community to identify pre-diabetics or diabetics whose symptoms have not worsened enough to prompt them to seek medical attention.

    Communicate With Policy Makers

    • Unlike some policy makers, community nurses have an in-depth understanding of what influences the health behaviors of the public because they are face-to-face with them daily. Therefore, those nurses should help develop the laws and policies aimed at combating public health challenges, includig diabetes.

    Raise Public Awareness

    • Public awareness of diabetes must be raised by community nurses to encourage early recognition of symptoms and prevent new cases.

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