The need for discharge preparation services for patients with non-amputated(toe)diabetic foot:a qualitative study
HE Xiang
ZHANG Haiyun
YANG Minxing
WEN Jingdong
XUE Jiao
Abstract：Objective: To explore the discharge preparation service needs of patients with diabetic foot (DF) who did not undergo amputation, and to provide references for developing discharge preparation service plans. Methods: A phenomenological research method was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 patients with non-amputated diabetic foot admitted to a tertiary A hospital in Jiangsu Province from February to May 2024. Data were coded, summarized, and themes were extracted using Colaizzi's 7-step analysis method. Results: A total of 14 patients with non-amputated diabetic foot were interviewed; among them, 8 were male and 6 were female, with ages ranging from 36 to 80 years. The interview results were finally categorized into five themes: disease management needs, improved emotional experience needs, multi-source support needs, desire to return to normal life and reintegration into society, and transitional continuity of care needs. Conclusion: During the transition period from discharge to recovery, patients with non-amputated diabetic foot have multiple nursing service needs. Medical staff should strengthen symptom management and health education in discharge preparation services, pay attention to psychological counseling, enhance social support, and provide targeted treatment and care to meet the needs of diabetic foot patients, promote wound healing, improve disease prognosis, and enhance quality of life.
Keywords：diabetic footnon-amputated(toe)discharge preparation servicesqualitative studynursing
Publication Date：2025-08-25
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-28(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 3344-3349 )