Practitioners' Use of Clinical Practice Guidelines: An Evidence-Based Approach

Author

Sondra Michelle Phipps Santana, University of North FloridaFollow

Year

2013

Season

Summer

Paper Type

Doctoral Project

College

Brooks College of Health

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

NACO controlled Corporate Body

University of North Florida. School of Nursing

First Advisor

Dr. Michele S. Bednarzyk

Second Advisor

Dr. Lillia M. Loriz

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Third Advisor

Dr. Carol Ledbetter

Department Chair

Dr. Lillia M. Loriz

College Dean

Dr. Pamela S. Chally

Abstract

Pre-diabetes is a serious health problem in the United States. Distinguished by plasma glucose levels that are above the normal threshold, patients with pre-diabetes are 10 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Patients with pre-diabetes suffer the same complications as patients with diabetes including diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, and microalbuminuria.

There is considerable evidence to support the idea that early identification and aggressive treatment of pre-diabetes has the potential to delay disease progression. The American Diabetes Association’s clinical practice guideline recommends management of with lifestyle modification and metformin for patients who are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the implementation of the 2012 ADA clinical practice guidelines regarding the management of patients with pre-diabetes by the health care providers at a volunteer-run clinic located in a large metropolitan area in the southeastern United States.

This study, even with a small sample size (n=26) revealed that the providers at the clinic had not implemented the 2012 ADA clinical practice guidelines. Clinical practice guidelines promote health care interventions that have proven benefits and improve the consistency of care provided to patients. The greatest benefits of implementing clinical practice guidelines for patients with pre-diabetes are early diagnosis and aggressive disease management. This would improve patient outcomes and in the long run, decrease the cost of medical care.

Suggested Citation

Santana, Sondra Michelle Phipps, "Practitioners' Use of Clinical Practice Guidelines: An Evidence-Based Approach" (2013). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 462.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/462