IMPROVEMENT PLAN OF NURSING CARE OF DIABETIC FOOT IN PRIMARY CARE: APPLYING THE DEMING CICLE

Abstract

Introduction:  We are in a time when patients are more knowledgeable and responsible for their health, they demand services and expect health professionals to take care of them in an effective, comprehensive and humane way in order to solve their health problems. This and other scientific and social factors contribute to develop and enhance the quality of care. People with diabetes mellitus require quality multidisciplinary healthcare since the risk of complications is very high. Primary Care, due to its accessibility characteristics, is probably the ideal place for continuous care to these patients. The aim of the study was analyze and optimize the quality of nursing care in the prevention of diabetic foot that is offered in PA nursing consultations.

Development: Based on the analysis of the situation, a plan was developed to improve nursing care in the prevention of diabetic foot following the 4 stages of PDCA. The study area was two urban health centers in León and the subjects studied were patients with diabetes mellitus (1 and 2). 

Conclusions: The results of the study show that the exploration of the diabetic foot is not done in a systematic way to the people with diabetes mellitus of the studied quotas, obtaining inferior numbers with respect to other studies realized at national level. This necessitates a plan for the improvement of nursing care based on the prevention and periodic inspection and exploration of the foot, the methodology of the Deming Cycle being valid for the implementation of said plan.