The transition of adolescents with diabetes into the adult health care service: the diabetes nurse specialist’s perception of adolescent needs ambulatory blood pressure monitoring study

Introduction Previous studies have examined patient responses to transition into the adult diabetes care services. Research into the Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSN) perspective is limited. Aim To explore the perceptions of DSNs about the process of transition from the childrenÕs health care services into the adult health care services. Methods Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with eight DSNs, from trusts across north-west England. Themes in the data were identified through thematic analysis. Results Four primary themes were identified. ÔProvision of SerÐ viceÕ identified that significant gaps exist between the provision of care in the childrenÕs and the adult health care service. ÔNeeds and EducationÕ highlighted the adolescents need to acquire the necessary knowledge to enable them to become independent in the management of their diabetes and in the management of their life. ÔAdolescentÕs Social Skills and BehaviourÕ identified adolescents as a ÔdifficultÕ or ÔhardÕ group to work with. This was attributed to their tendency towards dependency on others and the pressures and stresses of teenage life, which influence the adolescent resulting in poor compliance and higher rates of defaulting. The ÔStaff InterÐ actionsÕ theme identified proficient interpersonal skills and an informal clinic atmosphere as factors that can improve compliance and attendance rates