Abstract
Introduction. The history of recommendations by the Polish Federation for Education in Diabetology dates back to 2006, when guidelines for nurses/midwifes working with diabetic patients were first drawn up. However, the development of nurses and midwifes? competences requires stronger actions that foster a transition from experience-based towards evidence-based practice.
Aim. The aim of this publication is to present a set of procedures describing nursing interventions in diabetes care, including currently available scientific evidence and clinical experience of specialists involved in the care of diabetic patients.
Material and methods. The study involved a literature review of selected areas of nursing practice in diabetes care. When compiling the material, the priority was to use data from (in order of significance): randomized controlled clinical trials and their meta-analyses, observational studies and other studies with an adequate scientific status.
Results. This joint study yielded 11 procedures describing selected aspects of nursing interventions in diabetic patients. Each of the procedures details key recommendations on diabetes care, arranged in accordance of the significance ascribed to the scientific evidence analyzed.
Conclusions. The 2020 PFED guidelines on nursing and midwifery diabetes care are the effect of the evaluation of the previous versions and comprise a considerably more extensive, comprehensive and evidence-based set of practices. The major asset of these guidelines is their interdisciplinarity, reflected in the fact that the final version of the publication was approved by consultants in numerous nursing fields, a consultant in diabetology, and the President of the Polish Federation for Education in Diabetology, who all represent the medical community. The authors experience gained during work on international recommendations (New Insulin Delivery Recommendations) played an important role when formulating the present guidelines.