Nursing Assignment on Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Running head: NURSING
NURSING
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Background:
Diabetic foot ulcers can be defined as the most common form of complication that
manifests itself on account of poor management of the symptoms of Diabetes. The condition
arises due to breakdown of skin tissue that results in the exposure of the underlying skin
layers, Diabetic foot ulcers majorly manifests underneath the toes as well as in the ball region
of the foot (Tsang et al., 2017). The ulcers if left untreated can spread and affect the bones of
the feet. It should be noted in this context that the medical condition is extremely common in
people who suffer from Diabetes, however, proper treatment can assist improved and
accelerated recovery. It should further be noted in this context that the treatment for Diabetic
foot ulcers is broadly based upon the causes of the condition. Neglecting the condition can
enhance the intensity of the infection which could even lead to amputation for the prevention
of the transmission of infection to other parts of the body (Van Netten et al., 2016).
According to the report published by the Diabeticfootaustralia.org (2019), it has been
mentioned that approximately 300,000 people in Australia are placed at a heightened risk of
developing Diabetic Foot Ulcers (Diabeticfootaustralia.org, 2019). The report also suggests
that 50,000 individuals within Australia are living with the condition of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
and there are approximately 27,600 cases of hospitalizations every year on account of
Diabetic Foot Ulcers (Diabeticfootaustralia.org, 2019). At the same time, research studies
further mention that approximately, 12,500 people are living with amputation associated with
Diabetes which has resulted in alleviating the disease burden pertaining to disability in
Australia. Also, on an average 1700 death occur every year on account of Diabetes Foot
Ulcers and approximately $ 4 million are spent on the management of symptoms related to
Diabetic Foot Ulcers (Noor et al., 2017). On the basis of the available background
information, it can be said that Diabetic Foot Ulcers is one of the leading causes that lead to
poor patient outcome among the Diabetic patients. Therefore, the paper intends to investigate

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the evidence base in order to retrieve the best evidence based nursing strategy to improve
care outcome for patients suffering from Diabetic Foot Ulcers.
Clinical Question:
The PICO question that can be articulated on the basis of the background information
is stated as under:
P: Population Diabetic Patients
I: Intervention Effective nursing interventions, blood
glucose control, minimising infection,
wound dressing, debridement of callus or
dead tissue
C: Comparison No intervention
O: Outcome Recovery, reduction in infection
The overall research question for the study can be stated as:
What are the best quality evidence based nursing strategies available for the management
of Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFU) among Diabetic patients?
Summarising the evidence in clinical context:
The evidence base suggests that DFU in Diabetic patients significantly impact their
quality of life. The condition limits the ability of the patient to mobilise. Research studies in
this regard state that the effective management of blood glucose level can help to control the
adverse clinical implication associated with DFU. Nurses must educate patients about self-
management strategies so as to control blood glucose level. Imparting health literacy about

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the use of glucometer strips can empower patients to monitor their blood glucose level and
prevent the worsening of the infection outcome (Van Netten et al., 2016.) In addition to this,
adapting appropriate measures to minimise risk of cross-infection with the use of PEP and
adapting effective hand hygiene technique can help to improve overall infection outcome
(Van Netten et al., 2016). The evidence base also suggests that surgical or non-surgical
removal of the debridement of dead-tissue from the surface of wound can assist with the
process of rapid healing. Particularly in this regard, Ahmad (2016) stated that the use of
dressings such as foams, alginates or spun hydrocolloids help to maintain moisture within the
wound and facilitate improved recovery. The choice of dressing should be based upon the
consideration of the factor that the surrounding tissues of the wound are not macerated. In
cases where there is severe arterial impairment, surgery might be the most feasible option to
assist with the recovery process (Ainwar, 2015). In addition to this, use of antimicrobial
dressing such as Iodine impregnated or Silver-impregnated dressing could be used to manage
exudate and reduce the bacterial colonisation (Andrews et al., 2015). This would help to
facilitate revascularisation and accelerate the recovery process, Further, use of prescribed
antibiotics for prescribed length of time along with topical antimicrobial ointments can help
to improve interrupted blood flow and improve patient outcome (Armstrong et al., 2017).
Justification for selection of the research topic:
The justification for the choice of topic can be explained as the disease burden and the
increased medical cost associated with the disease condition. Despite the available clinical
guidelines on clinical management of DFU, the condition attributes to a high rate of
morbidity and mortality in Australia (Ogrin et al., 2015). This emphasises on the evaluation
of the evidence base in order to retrieve the best nursing strategy to improve holistic care
outcome among patients affected with DFU.