Date of Award
Spring 5-22-2021
Document Type
Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscript
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Martha Fuller, PhD, PPCNP-BC
Second Advisor
Kathy James, DNSc, FNP-BC, FAAN
Abstract
Background: Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugars are higher than normal which increases risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), heart disease and stroke. One in three US adults have prediabetes and 90% of them do not know. Losing 5-7% of body weight and regular physical activity can lower the risk of developing T2DM by more than half.
Methods: Screening patients for prediabetes at a medical weight loss clinic using the evidence-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Prediabetes Risk Test. A score of five or higher on the screening tool indicates the patient is at risk of having prediabetes. The patients who were considered at risk were referred to the CDC Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) to learn about ways to decrease risk of developing T2DM.
Evaluation/ Results: Four months after implementation, forty-one patients at the medical weight loss clinic were screened. Of those that were screened, 34.1% had a score of five or greater, and of those whose screening showed they were at increased risk for prediabetes, 100% were referred to the DPP.
Implications for Practice: Implementation of the CDC Prediabetes Risk Test increased patient’s knowledge of their risk for prediabetes and future risk of developing T2DM. The medical weight loss clinic will continue to screen all patients using the CDC Prediabetes Risk Test as well as monitor at risk patients and set goals to reduce risk.
Digital USD Citation
Miller, RN, BSN, Gabriela, "Implementation of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Prediabetes Risk Test in the Medical Weight Loss Setting" (2021). Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts. 142.
https://digital.sandiego.edu/dnp/142
Copyright
Copyright held by the author