Survey evaluation of in-hospital diabetes seminars provided by medical professionals, for medical professionals

Figures & data

Table 1 Seminar topics and professions of lecturers

No.	Title of lecture	Lecturer profession
1st	Diet therapy for diabetes	Dietician
2nd	Exercise therapy for diabetes	Physiotherapist
3rd	Pharmacotherapy for diabetes	Pharmacist
4th	Examination for diabetes	Clinical laboratory technician
5th	Gestational diabetes	Diabetologist
6th	Exercise therapy: case study	Physiotherapist
7th	Diet therapy for diabetic nephropathy	Dietician
8th	Pharmacotherapy: cautionary points	Pharmacist
9th	Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG)	Clinical laboratory technician
10th	Patient education	Diabetologist

Table 2 Questions included on the questionnaire form

(Q1) “What is your profession?”

(Q2) “Why did you decide to attend this seminar?”

(Q3) “What topics impressed you in today’s seminar?”

(Q4) “What topics do you prefer for the next seminar?”

(Q5) “Please write your free and general comments for today’s seminar.”

(Q6) “Have you attended the previous seminar?”

(Q7) “After you attended the seminar, do you think there were some changes in your daily work or your attitude towards your patients?”

(Q8) “Why do you think so? Please explain the reasons for this.”

Table 3 Answers of all professionals to Q2 (“Why did you decide to attend this seminar?”)

Seminar No.	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total (%)
I want to gain knowledge about diabetes	40	37	18	26	7	128 (55.4)
I’m interested in the topics	0	12	7	6	29	54 (23.4)
I’m in charge of patients with diabetes	0	0	15	4	13	32 (13.9)
The previous seminars were helpful	0	0	0	3	4	7 (3.0)
I want to use the knowledge about diabetes for myself	3	0	0	0	2	5 (2.2)
My colleague/chief gives a lecture	0	1	2	0	0	3 (1.3)
I was recommended to participate	1	1	0	0	0	2 (0.9)

Note: Each column indicates numbers of respondents.

Table 4 Answers of each profession to Q4 (“What topics do you prefer for the next seminar?”)

Profession	Top 5 preferred seminar topics
Nurses	(1) Exercise therapy
	(2) Education for diabetic patients
	(3) Medication
	(4) Diet therapy
	(5) Case study
Pharmacists	(1) Drug selection for individual patients
	(2) Case study
	(3) Gestational diabetes
	(4) Diet therapy
	(5) Examinations regarding diabetes
Physiotherapists	(1) Case study
	(2) Medication
	(3) Diet therapy
	(4) How to prevent diabetes onset
	(5) Gestational diabetes
Clinical laboratory technicians	(1) Education for diabetic patients
	(2) Diabetic complications
	(3) Case study
	(4) How to prevent diabetes onset
	(5) Diet therapy
Dieticians	(1) Exercise therapy
	(2) Other professions’ activity regarding diabetes care
	(3) Case study
	(4) Any topic will be helpful
	(5) Gestational diabetes
Midwives	(1) Gestational diabetes
	(2) Insulin therapy
	(3) Diet therapy
	(4) Alcohol and diabetes
	(5) Hypoglycemia
Doctors	(1) Medication
	(2) Case study
	(3) Diabetic complications
	(4) Treatment for acute phase diabetes
	(5) New device for self-monitoring blood glucose

Table 5 Representative answers of each profession to Q5 (“Please write your free and general comments for today’s seminar”)

Profession	Representative general comments
Nurses	Case study was informative and helps me to understand.
	The lecture was helpful not only for patients but also for myself and my family.
	By attending the seminar, I realized that my knowledge is insufficient.
	After attending the seminar, I feel like I want to learn more about diabetes.
	It was unfortunate and disappointing that some other nurses did not attend the seminar.
	This is the first time that I experienced SMBG by myself. It was painful and I think it was a good opportunity for me to understand patients’ pain and suffering.
Pharmacists	So many new drugs come out to the market one after another. I felt that day-to-day learning is necessary.
	The lecture was educational and I feel like I want to study more about diabetes.
Physiotherapists	The lecture was very helpful. I want to use the knowledge that I acquired today in my job.
	It was a good opportunity to reconsider diet therapy together with exercise therapy.
Clinical laboratory technicians	I was stimulated by a lecture. Now I decided that I will continue to study.
	There were so many things that I felt I know but actually not.
	It is difficult to study about diabetes by myself from a basic level. Thus, the lectures were very helpful.
	It is good to know what other professions are doing and how they educate diabetic patients.
Dieticians	Now I understand that communication with patients is very important during diet counselling.
	The lecture about education for diabetic patients made me feel that I would like to get close to patients.
	I could learn much more about diabetic nephropathy.
	Experiencing SMBG was a precious opportunity for me.
Midwives	I could have a real picture of a patient through various case presentations.
	I’m now in charge of a patient who is receiving insulin therapy. Thus, a lecture about insulin was timely.
	I was inspired by a lecture and became motivated to study more about diabetes.
	I didn’t know that SMBG is such a painful examination. Hope I can tell my patients how to reduce their pain at the time of SMBG.
Doctors	I was deeply impressed that all concerned were committed to the seminar enthusiastically.
	Case studies are interesting and easy to comprehend.
	The lectures were helpful to organize the knowledge.
	Good to know the perspective of physicians about gestational diabetes, which is different from that of ours (obstetrician).
	By experiencing SMBG, now I understand that it is fearful and painful. That’s more than I expected.

Abbreviation: SMBG, Self-monitoring of blood glucose.

Table 6 Answers of each profession to Q7 (“After you attended the seminar, do you think there were some changes in your daily work or your attitude towards your patients?”)

Profession	Yes	No	Not sure	Nonresponse
Nurses	33 (71.7%)	3 (6.5%)	7 (15.2%)	3 (6.5%)
Pharmacists	4 (50.0%)	1 (12.5%)	1 (12.5%)	2 (25.0%)
Physiotherapists	5 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)
Clinical laboratory technicians	6 (60.0%)	1 (10.0%)	3 (30.0%)	0 (0.0%)
Dieticians	6 (75.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)
Midwives	2 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)
Doctors	8 (88.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (11.1%)

Notes: The numbers in each column indicate the numbers and percentages within each profession of answering “Yes,” “No,” or “Not sure.” The numbers and percentages of non-responses were also recorded.

Table 7 Representative answers of each profession to Q8 (“Why do you think so? Please explain the reasons for this”)

Profession	Explanations
Nurses	Reasons for “Yes”
	I could increase my knowledge and give better advice to patients.
	I could talk to patients about diabetes care more concretely with certain evidence in a persuasive manner.
	I could be more confident when I answered questions from patients.
	Now I have more interest in diabetes.
	Sometimes I recall what I learnt from the lecture and use the knowledge in my daily tasks.
	Reasons for “No”
	Lectures were helpful but I did not have a chance to use the knowledge I gained.
	I am still inexperienced and I haven’t had many opportunities to aid patients with diabetes.
	Reasons for “Not sure”
	I was motivated by the seminar but not yet reaching the level of behavior change.
	I think I could gain more knowledge but could not make use of it in a real setting.
	I was not in charge of caring for patients with diabetes.
Pharmacists	Reasons for “Yes”
	Now I understand examinations regarding diabetes, of which I did not know much.
	I could understand how other professions educate and advise patients with diabetes.
	Reasons for “No”
	Not available
	Reasons for “Not sure”
	Not available
Physiotherapists	Reasons for “Yes”
	With knowledge of diabetes, I was able to teach exercise therapy to patients more confidently.
	I became more considerate about diabetic complications and risks when I teach exercise therapy.
	During exercise therapy, sometimes patients ask me about diet therapy. Thanks to the seminars, I was able to answer their questions.
	Reasons for “No”
	Not available
	Reasons for “Not sure”
	Not available
Clinical laboratory technicians	Reasons for “Yes”
	Previously, I simply analyzed blood samples, but now I am trying to understand patients’ comprehensive condition by checking the results of blood examinations.
	When I collect blood samples, patients often ask me various things. I think I am now able to answer more correctly by using knowledge that I gained in a lecture.
	Reasons for “No”
	Given the nature of my profession, I do not engage in the treatment of diabetes.
	Reasons for “Not sure”
	Just after the seminar, I became interested in patients’ examination results. However, in my busy duty schedule, my interests have gradually faded as time goes by.
	In a daily practice, I don’t have so much of a chance to be involved in patients’ care.
Dieticians	Reasons for “Yes”
	The knowledge I gained in the lectures enriched my explanations to patients during diet counselling.
	By checking medication or exercise records on the electronic chart, I became able to understand the backgrounds of patients.
	I could learn many things from lectures given by other professions.
	The lecture by a colleague (dietician) was helpful because I seldom had the chance to see my colleague’s diet counselling.
	Reasons for “No”
	Not available
	Reasons for “Not sure”
	The lectures were helpful and informative, but I myself keenly realize my lack of knowledge.
Midwives	Reasons for “Yes”
	I could understand the pathophysiology of diabetes very well.
	I have been caring for so many expectant mothers with gestational diabetes. The lectures made me think about how to provide better care for them.
	Reasons for “No”
	Not available
	Reasons for “Not sure”
	Not available
Doctors	Reasons for “Yes”
	I could add knowledge from a field I was not specialized in, and I could improve my explanations to patients.
	By experiencing SMBG, now I understand why patients hate to do it.
	I think I could be more sympathetic to patients who continuously perform SMBG.
	Reasons for “No”
	Not available
	Reasons for “Not sure”
	Not available

Abbreviation: SMBG, Self-monitoring of blood glucose.