Influence of Nurse-led Therapeutic Patient Education on Glycemic Control and Knowledge of Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Hospital Transition: a Quasi-experimental Trial

The main objective of the study will be to determine the influence of therapeutic education carried out by nurses in the management and knowledge of patients with T1DM who will make a hospital transition. The research design will be a single-blind, nonrandomized, quasi-experimental, single-center, 1-group controlled study .

It will be developed at the Center for Diagnosis and Treatment (CDT) of the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital (HUVR), in Seville (Spain). The participant selection process will be carried out considering that only 13 adolescents 17 and 18 years and younger with T1DM, belonging to the reference hospital area, will transit from the Children's Hospital to the Adult Hospital. It is estimated that the study will have a sample of a minimum of n=10, which will be studied over 12 months.

Given the existing bibliography about the benefits of this intervention , 1 it is expected that the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of patients will be less than 7%, which together with the Self-Management Adherence Questionnaire for Diabetes Treatment (SCI-R. es) 2 represents that patients perform adequate management of their disease. The Survey of Eating Problems in Diabetes Summary Questionnaire (EPAD-R) 3 will be used to assess their eating behavior. An improvement in people's knowledge regarding hypoglycemia is also sought, measured with the Clarke test 4 ; and an improvement in the quality of life, measured with the SF-12 questionnaire 5 and family support with the Apgar test 6 .

The therapeutic plan consists of preparing the process prior to discharge from the pediatric center, transferring to the adult hospital with a clinical and educational report and a previously arranged visit to the new unit. The heads of both teams coordinate the structure and the transition process with regular meetings. From the Adult Diabetes Day Hospital, a joint visit is reserved with the endocrinologist and the nurse educator. They are integrated into a 12-month therapeutic care and education program. It consists of four structured phases: 1. Welcome nurse visit, 2. Diabetologic education course adapted to the detected needs, 3. Individualized follow-up through alternating quarterly appointments between nurses and endocrine physician, 4. Evaluation and discharge of the program.

At the beginning (baseline visit), at 3 and 12 months the following variables are recorded: