Practice nurse involvement in the management of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending a general practice: results from a systematic review.

Aim: Using the methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute, a systematic review of current research was performed to determine if the addition of management by nurses had been more effective in improving clinical outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes attending a general practice compared with standard care.

Methods: A three-step literature search was conducted for suitable English studies with quantitative clinical outcomes that had been published from January 1990 to May 2014. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were particularly sought after; however, other research designs were considered.

The effectiveness of nurse-led care in general practice on clinical outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Background: In Australia, diabetes was identified as a national health priority area in 1996; nevertheless the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically since then. Nurses have been working within Australian general practices for several decades but only in recent years has the role of the practice nurse in primary health care increased.

Objectives: This review aims to identify the effectiveness of nurse-led care in general practice as compared to general practitioner care on clinical outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes.