The impact of an educational intervention on nurses knowledge towards the management of inpatient hypoglycaemia: A pilot study

Inpatient hypoglycaemia is a marker for clinical deterioration and potential increased risk of adverse outcomes, including precipitation of acute cerebrovascular disease, myocardial infarction, neurocognitive dysfunction, retinal cell death and loss of vision. It has also been shown to have adverse consequences, including increased length of stay, greater likelihood of discharge to a skilled nursing facility and increased mortality rate. Audit suggests that one in five inpatients with diabetes in the UK have a hypoglycaemic episode during their stay. The present pilot study assessed levels of knowledge of nurses regarding hypoglycaemia, and the impact of a ward-based, bite-sized educational intervention on nurses knowledge of hypoglycaemia and its management.