Patients’ Expectations of the Health Advice Conversation With the Diabetes Nurse Practitioner

Type 2-diabetes usually makes its first appearance in adult age. In order for patients to feel in control of the disease, they need support and information that can easily be understood and which is relevant for the individual. By educating and supporting them, patients can conduct self-care and take control. The aim of this study was to highlight the expectations that patients with type 2-diabetes have of the health advice conversation with the nurse practitioner. A qualitative method using interviews was conducted and the data material was analysed according to manifest and latent content analysis. Three categories emerged in the results. Firstly, providing good accessibility to the diabetes nurse practitioner is of importance. Secondly, there is a demand for group activities in which patients have the opportunity to talk with other individuals who have diabetes. Finally, knowledge about self-care means that the patients themselves are able to change the intake of medication, their eating habits, and exercise according to need, as this leads to increased independence and self-management. The latent content demonstrates that the patient is striving towards competence and self-confidence in order to achieve a balance between lifestyle and the normalisation of blood sugar levels, which means empowerment. In addition, the informants expressed a demand for group activities where they can discuss the disease with others in the same situation. A combination of knowledge about the disease, receiving individual advice, and participation in groups can be beneficial in order to motivate the informants about lifestyle changes and to gain the ability to manage the disease