Where reported , emergency admissions and quality of life were not found to be significantly different between groups .
No information was found regarding BMI , mortality , long term diabetic complications , adverse effects , or costs .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS The presence of a diabetes specialist nurse / nurse case manager may improve patients ' diabetic control over short time periods , but from currently available trials the effects over longer periods of time are not evident .
There were no significant differences overall in hypoglycaemic episodes , hyperglycaemic incidents , or hospital admissions .
Quality of life was not shown to be affected by input from a diabetes specialist nurse/nurse case manager
BACKGROUND The patient with diabetes has many different learning needs relating to diet , monitoring , and treatments .
In many health care systems specialist nurses provide much of these needs , usually aim ing to empower patients to self-manage their diabetes .
The present review aims to assess the effects of the involvement of specialist nurse care on outcomes for  people with diabetes  , compared to usual care in hospital clinics or primary care with no input from specialist nurses .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of diabetes specialist nurses / nurse case manager in diabetes on the metabolic control of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus .
Impact of automated calls with nurse follow-up on diabetes treatment outcomes in a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE We evaluated automated telephone disease management ( ATDM ) with telephone nurse follow-up as a strategy for improving diabetes treatment processes and outcomes in Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) clinics . We also compared the results with those of a prior ATDM trial conducted in a county health care system . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 272 VA patients with diabetes using hypoglycemic medications were r and omized . During the 1-year study period , intervention patients received biweekly ATDM health assessment and self-care education calls , and a nurse educator followed up with patients based on their ATDM assessment reports . Telephone surveys were used to measure patients ' self-care , symptoms , and satisfaction with care . Outpatient service use was evaluated using electronic data bases and self-reports , and glycemic control was measured by HbA1c and serum glucose testing . RESULTS At 12 months , intervention patients reported more frequent glucose self-monitoring and foot inspections than patients receiving usual care and were more likely to be seen in podiatry and diabetes specialty clinics . Intervention patients also were more likely than control patients to have had a cholesterol test . Among patients with baseline HbA1c levels > or = 8 % , mean end-point values were lower among intervention patients than control patients ( 8.7 vs. 9.2 % , respectively ; P = 0.04 ) . Among intervention and control patients with baseline values > or = 9 % , mean end-point values were 9.1 and 10.2 % , respectively ( P = 0.04 ) . At follow-up , intervention patients reported fewer symptoms of poor glycemic control than control patients and greater satisfaction with their health care . CONCLUSIONS This intervention improved the quality of VA diabetes care . Intervention effects for most end points replicated findings from the prior county clinic trial , although intervention-control differences in the current study were smaller because of the relatively good self-care and health status among the current study 's enrollees
Where reported , emergency admissions and quality of life were not found to be significantly different between groups .
No information was found regarding BMI , mortality , long term diabetic complications , adverse effects , or costs .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS The presence of a diabetes specialist nurse / nurse case manager may improve patients ' diabetic control over short time periods , but from currently available trials the effects over longer periods of time are not evident .
There were no significant differences overall in hypoglycaemic episodes , hyperglycaemic incidents , or hospital admissions .
Quality of life was not shown to be affected by input from a diabetes specialist nurse/nurse case manager
BACKGROUND The patient with diabetes has many different learning needs relating to diet , monitoring , and treatments .
In many health care systems specialist nurses provide much of these needs , usually aim ing to empower patients to self-manage their diabetes .
The present review aims to assess the effects of the involvement of specialist nurse care on outcomes for  people with diabetes  , compared to usual care in hospital clinics or primary care with no input from specialist nurses .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of diabetes specialist nurses / nurse case manager in diabetes on the metabolic control of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus .