American Research Journal of Nursing

Background: Diabetes mellitus is affecting a huge percentage of the population in today’s world. This disease is usually accompanied by the risk of development of foot complication that may lead to amputation of the foot. Therefore, diabetes mellitus patients are advised to ensure that they take proper care of their feet to avoid these complication. Aim: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a concept map as diabetic foot care educational intervention among type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: The research design adopted for the study was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test control groupdesign9. The study was conducted at outpatient department - Diabetic and Endocrine Centre in Al Madinah, Al-Munawara. Saudi Arabia after obtaining the Approval from Ethical Committee, and formal permission was obtained from the hospital authority. The samples were selected by convenient sampling technique, who met the inclusion criteria. The instrument used for the study was to collect the data are demographic variableFoot Care Confidence Scale (FCCS) and Nottingham Assessment of Functional Foot care (NAFF). Results: The calculated Mean score of the foot care self-efficacy of the study group before concept map as intervention was 52.02 and it was significantly increased to 89.64 after concept map as educational intervention. In the control group mean score of before using concept map was 53.93 and in the after using concept map it was slightly increased to 58.23.The calculated Mean score of the foot care behaviour of the study group before using the concept map was 61.50 and it was significantly increased to 88.86 in after using the concept map. The calculated p value after intervention reveals that there was a significant difference between the study and control group at (p<0.001).There was a significant improvement in the foot care behaviour score in both groups after intervention ( p<0.001). Conclusion: Concept maps helps to identify some of the most effective strategies that can be used in the maintaining of healthy feet and preventing bruises and cuts and sores. Concept maps help nurses to improve in critical thinking in providing education on foot care and also advising patients on at-home foot care. This makes it easier for the patient and the practitioner to avoid any foot complications and ensure maintenance of healthy feet. Hence the study clearly depicts the importance of concept maps in educating patients with diabetes on importance of foot care.