A new diabetic with complications: primary nursing care.

Martha, an elderly patient, presented a real challenge to our nursing staff. As a new diabetic, she needed a great deal of education in addition to extensive nursing care for her multiple bleeding leg ulcers, dehydration and malnutrition due to uncontrolled diabetes, and reactive depression. Despite these problems, in approximately one month's time Martha was able to return to her home in control of her diabetes and her emotions and ambulating without pain. Her successful return to normal life was enhanced by holistic nursing management. The nursing staff found that the use of a problem list and a diabetes educational plan assisted them in individualizing their patient care.