Nurses at the forefront of diabetes care in NZ

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-01-21 09:51

New Zealand

What does this mean?

Jump to: MultimediaAttachmentsExpert Reaction

As rates of type 2 diabetes continue to rise and the number of diabetes specialists decline, New Zealand nurses have taken on more responsibilities in helping patients manage the illness. According to new research from the University of Auckland, the percentage of nurses conducting Heart and Diabetes Checks independently of a doctor almost doubled between 2006-8 and 2016, while the percentage of doctors conducting such reviews decreased from 35% to 19% in the same timeframe. Authors of the study say that while social and economic factors continue to drive high rates of diabetes among Pacific and Māori populations, nurses play an integral role in reducing inequities in healthcare for people with the illness.