Does the Diabetes Specialist Nursing workforce impact the experiences and outcomes of people with diabetes? A hermeneutic review of the evidence

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the hermeneutic review was to identify and clarify the mechanisms by which the Diabetes Specialist Nursing workforce affect the outcomes of diabetes patients, with a focus on those in the United Kingdom. A clarification of diabetes specialist nurses’ work is necessary in understanding and improving diabetes inpatient care. DESIGN: The design is a hermeneutic evidence review and was part of a wider evaluation of Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurses for which the evidence was sourced. The literature search was limited to specialist nursing workforce caring for adults with diabetes. In order to gain global understanding of the impact of specialist nursing in diabetes, worldwide literature was included. METHODS: A hermeneutic literature review of 45 publications was carried out, which included citation analysis. Relevant literature was identified from 1990 to 2018. RESULTS: Evidence suggests that Diabetes Specialist Nurses educate patients and other healthcare professionals as well as delivering direct care. The outcomes of these actions include a reduced patient length of stay in hospital, reduced inpatient harms and complications, and improved patient satisfaction. Additionally, they are cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: The Diabetes Specialist Nursing workforce is essential in diabetes care, particularly in hospital settings. They improve patient experience and outcomes. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12960-019-0401-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.