Discussion: Quantitative Research Studies Nursing Practice Problem and PICOT

Discussion: Quantitative Research Studies Nursing Practice Problem and PICOT

Diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar in the blood. It is caused by the body’s inability to produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Diabetes mellitus has become a pressing and prevalent issue in recent decades, coinciding with the rise in obesity, and is now the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide, accounting for 5.2 million deaths (Glovaci et al., 2019). Diabetes is also a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus can be a significant practice problem for nurses because of its complexity, impact on quality of life, risk of complications, and the need for ongoing management and support for people with diabetes (Onishi et al., 2022). As a result, patients with diabetes require constant contact with healthcare providers to guide their treatment and help control their blood sugar levels. Additionally, the management of diabetes is a lifetime and requires multidisciplinary intervention and monitoring to prevent complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, and nerve damage. Nurses play an important role in educating patients on how to manage their diabetes through diet, exercise, and medication regimens, as well as monitoring blood sugar levels and administering insulin when necessary (O’Flynn, 2022). They also play a crucial role in identifying and managing diabetes-related complications. However, with the recent emergence of Covid-19, access to care for most patients was limited by directives that limited face-to-face care. Healthcare providers factored in some interventions including telemedicine to help in improving contact and continuity of care. This paper presents a research critique of two quantitative studies addressing telemedicine and diabetes.

The PICOT question: In diabetic patients with uncontrolled sugars (P), how does the use of telemedicine (I) compared to usual outpatient visits (C) on reducing blood sugar and HbA1C (O) during Covid 19 outbreak (T)?

Background of Studies

The need to improve care for patients with diabetes has resulted in various studies to avail evidence-based information on management. Telemedicine is one of the proposed interventions implemented during Covid-19 to help in reducing the spread of the virus while optimizing care for diabetic patients. The two quantitative studies by Onishi et al. (2022) and Wong et al. (2021) are examples of studies addressing telemedicine. The study by Onishi et al. (2022) aimed at comparing the effectiveness of either telemedicine or routine clinic visit on glycemic control as the main objective.  The research question stated: how does care using telemedicine compared to clinic visits on glycemic control during the covid era? The primary outcomes were blood glucose levels, HbA1C levels, and body mass index.  Similarly, Wong et al. (2021), shared the same broad objective as the aforementioned study. The research question stated: How does glycemic control differ between outpatient clinics and telehealth? This study provides more information required by nurses to make informed decisions about the type of care to give. Nurses can either use telehealth or clinic visits depending on the feasibility of either.

How Articles Support Nursing Practice Problems

Both studies by Onishi et al. (2022) and Wong et al. (2021) apply to the nursing practice problem and the PICOT question. My nursing problem addresses the management of diabetes and compares the effectiveness of telemedicine to the clinic visit. The broad objective of both studies compares the effectiveness of telehealth or face-to-face visits on glycemic control and long-term health outcomes of diabetes patients. Management of diabetes is a complex process comprising medication prescription, lifestyle modifications, monitoring, and education (O’Flynn, 2022). Healthcare providers use either clinic visits or telehealth to offer these various management techniques. The two studies provide evidence-based information regarding the effectiveness of telehealth in diabetes management. Nurses can use telehealth services such as web-based appointments, messaging, smartphone apps, or phone calls to converse with patients and offer appropriate care including education and monitoring glycemic levels for patients in remote settings (Wong et al., 2021). Using telehealth improves health outcomes, improve access to care, increase patient satisfaction, and reduce healthcare cost.

Methods of Studies

The quantitative studies presented used a different methodology. The study by Onishi et al. (2022) was a retrospective cohort study that compared pre-emergency and post-emergency HbA1C. Similarly, the study by Wong et al. (2021