Advanced Practice Care: Advanced Practice Care in Diabetes: Epilogue
- Davida F. Kruger, MSN, APRN, BC-ADM, Guest Editor
Over the past 20 years, we have learned that diabetes is a particularly complex disease. The need for counseling and education, the role of self-management, the many complications, and the need for daily decision making together call for a variety of specialists among members of the health care team.1 Because of the complexity of the disease, the role of advanced practice providers has emerged. Individuals in advanced practice inherently teach, counsel, and listen. These skills are of paramount importance in helping people with diabetes learn self-care behaviors and achieve treatment goals.2
Twenty years ago, I entered the world of diabetes fresh from graduate school as a certified nurse practitioner. I was hired to be the trial coordinator for the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Mich.3
As trial coordinators, we …
