Nursing Diagnosis for Diabetes: 5 Sample Care Plans & Interventions

Choosing the right nursing diagnosis for diabetes — and building a clean NANDA-I care plan around it — is one of the most common assignments in nursing school, and it shows up in nearly every clinical rotation: med-surg, ICU, OB, peds, home health, and beyond. The CDC’s 2026 National Diabetes Statistics Report estimates that 40.1 million people in the U.S. had diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes in 2023 — about 1 in 8 Americans — and 115.2 million U.S. adults had prediabetes. The patients you’ll care for span every age and every acuity. This diabetes nursing care plan walks you through what to assess, the NANDA-I nursing diagnoses for diabetes you’ll see most often, and 5 sample care plans you can model your clinical paperwork on for type 1, type 2, and complications like hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, infection, and the diabetic foot.

It’s written for nursing students, new grads, and any RN who wants a quick refresher with current ADA Standards of Care (2026) and NANDA-I 2024–2026 language baked in.

Scope note. This is an educational care plan for nursing students and new graduates. It is not a substitute for facility protocol, provider orders, or specialist clinical judgment. Always verify medication doses, glycemic targets, and escalation criteria against your institution’s current policy and the patient’s individualized plan of care.

Table of contents

• What is diabetes mellitus?
• Causes and risk factors
• Signs and symptoms
• Nursing assessment
• Diagnostic studies
• Glycemic targets and time-in-range
• Insulin types — quick reference
• Non-insulin antidiabetic agents
• Nursing goals and outcomes
• Nursing interventions
• Nursing diagnosis for diabetes — 5 sample care plans
• Hypoglycemia rescue (15-15 rule)
• Sick day rules
• Diabetic foot care checklist
• Escalation red flags
• Discharge and patient teaching
• Practice question
• FAQs
• Related resources
• References

What is diabetes mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders marked by hyperglycemia from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The ADA classifies diabetes into four broad categories:

• Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) — Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. Absolute insulin deficiency. Onset usually pediatric / young adult, but can occur at any age. Requires lifelong insulin.
• Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) — Insulin resistance plus relative insulin deficiency. Most common form (~90–95% of cases). Strongly linked to obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and genetics.
• Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) — Diabetes diagnosed in the second or third trimester of pregnancy that was not clearly overt diabetes before gestation. Increases lifetime T2DM risk.
• Other specific types of diabetes — Including monogenic diabetes syndromes (e.g., MODY, neonatal diabetes), diabetes from exocrine pancreatic disease (e.g., cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis), and drug- or chemical-induced diabetes (e.g., glucocorticoid-induced, post-transplant).

Clinical pearl — LADA (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults). A slower-progressing autoimmune diabetes in adults that may initially resemble T2DM and is sometimes called “type 1.5.” Suspect LADA when an adult who looks like T2DM has rapid loss of glycemic control on oral agents or positive GAD-65 / IA-2 antibodies.

Knowing which category your patient falls into shapes everything from medication selection to teaching priorities to red flags (people with T1DM can progress to DKA within hours; T2DM more often presents as hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS)).

Causes and risk factors

Type 1 risk factors: family history, certain HLA genotypes, and other autoimmune disease (celiac, Hashimoto’s). Possible environmental and viral associations have been studied, but family history, genetic susceptibility, and other autoimmune disease history are the more clinically useful risk clues.

Type 2 risk factors:

• Age ≥ 35 (screen earlier with risk factors)
• BMI ≥ 25 (≥ 23 in Asian American populations)
• Family history (first-degree relative)
• History of gestational diabetes or baby > 9 lb
• Hypertension, dyslipidemia, polycystic ovary syndrome
• Sedentary lifestyle, smoking
• High-risk race / ethnicity (Black, Hispanic / Latino, Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander)
• Prediabetes (A1C 5.7–6.4%, FPG 100–125, OGTT 140–199)

Signs and symptoms

The classic “three Ps” still hold but watch the modifiers:

• Polyuria (frequent urination) — from osmotic diuresis when glucose exceeds the renal threshold (~180 mg/dL)
• Polydipsia (excessive thirst) — fluid loss drives the response
• Polyphagia (excessive hunger) — cells “starve” despite high serum glucose

Other commonly seen signs:

• Unexplained weight loss (especially T1DM)
• Fatigue, blurred vision, slow-healing wounds
• Recurrent infections (yeast, UTI, skin)
• Numbness or tingling (peripheral neuropathy — chronic)
• Acanthosis nigricans, skin tags (insulin resistance markers)

A subset of patients — especially in early T2DM — are essentially asymptomatic and only diagnosed via screening labs.

Nursing assessment

A solid assessment is what makes the difference between a generic care plan and one with the right nursing diagnosis for diabetes attached to it. Use a structured approach. The data below is what to consider, not what every patient with diabetes will have.

Subjective data to look for

• Polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, weight change
• Fatigue, weakness, vision changes, slow-healing wounds
• Headache, irritability, “shaky” or “sweaty” episodes (possible hypoglycemia)
• Patient’s description of diet, activity, medication adherence
• Family history of diabetes, gestational history
• Knowledge of self-monitoring, sick-day rules, hypoglycemia rescue

Objective data to assess

• Vital signs (orthostatic hypotension can suggest volume depletion)
• Fingerstick glucose (point-of-care) or continuous glucose monitor data
• Weight, BMI, waist circumference
• Skin: turgor, dryness, lesions, infection, slow-healing wounds
• Feet: monofilament screening, tuning fork (vibratory sense), pulses (DP / PT), capillary refill, calluses, deformities
• Mucous membranes: dry, fruity breath (DKA), oral candidiasis
• Mental status: alertness, confusion (severe hypoglycemia, HHS, or DKA)
• Cardiac, respiratory, neuro baseline (people with diabetes have higher ASCVD, autonomic neuropathy, and renal disease risk)

Avoid absolute language. “Patient has dry skin” is more useful than “patient is severely dehydrated.” Document what you observe, not what you infer.

Diagnostic studies

A1C alone can miss diabetes in patients with hemoglobinopathies, recent blood transfusion, or rapidly changing glycemia — use FPG or OGTT if A1C is unreliable.

Glycemic targets and time-in-range

Per the ADA Standards of Care 2026 (verify exact values against the most recent annual update):

• A1C target: typically < 7% for most non-pregnant adults; < 8.0% is reasonable for older adults with cognitive or functional limitations, frailty, multiple comorbidities, limited life expectancy, or a history of severe hypoglycemia. For very complex or end-of-life patients, the goal often shifts away from a numeric A1C target toward avoiding symptomatic hypo- and hyperglycemia.
• Preprandial capillary glucose: 80–130 mg/dL
• Peak postprandial (1–2 h): < 180 mg/dL
• CGM Time-in-Range (TIR): > 70% in 70–180 mg/dL for most adults; ≥ 50% in 70–180 mg/dL for older or high-risk adults
• Time below range: < 4% under 70 mg/dL; < 1% under 54 mg/dL

Targets are individualized — confirm with the provider. These are clinical guides, not absolutes. People with hypoglycemia unawareness, frailty, advanced CKD, or pregnancy have different ranges.

Insulin types — quick reference

Safety pearl. Never substitute one insulin product for another without a provider order — concentrations (U-100 vs U-200 vs U-500) and onset / duration profiles differ. Always verify dose, type, and route at the bedside per the Five Rights.

Non-insulin antidiabetic agents

In T2DM with established or high-risk ASCVD, HF, CKD, or obesity, pharmacologic therapy is individualized. SGLT2 inhibitors with proven benefit are especially emphasized for HF and CKD when not contraindicated. GLP-1 RAs are commonly prioritized for ASCVD and weight-related goals. Either or both may be appropriate independent of A1C; combination therapy is considered for high CV risk or when A1C is substantially above goal.

Nursing goals and outcomes

Once you’ve picked the nursing diagnosis for diabetes that fits the patient’s actual presentation, your goals flow directly from it. By the end of the shift / hospitalization, the patient will (examples — choose what fits the individual patient):

• Maintain blood glucose within an individualized target range (state the number).
• Verbalize understanding of medication name, dose, time, route, and primary purpose.
• Demonstrate accurate self-monitoring of blood glucose (or CGM) and insulin self-administration.
• State the three earliest signs of hypoglycemia and the 15-15 rescue rule.
• Identify three lifestyle modifications appropriate for the patient (diet, activity, smoking cessation).
• Inspect feet daily and verbalize when to call the provider for foot changes.
• Schedule annual diabetes-care visits (eye exam, foot exam, A1C every 3–6 months, lipid panel, urine albumin).

Use SMART framing and add function-based goals where possible — for example, “Walks the hallway twice without dyspnea” is more useful than “Tolerates activity.”

Nursing interventions

Glycemic monitoring

• Check fingerstick glucose before meals and at bedtime (or per facility protocol). For patients on insulin drips: q1h until stable.
• Review CGM trends — pay attention to the arrow direction, not just the number.
• Recognize that stress, illness, surgery, glucocorticoids, and TPN all raise blood glucose.

Medication administration

• Double-check insulin doses with a second RN per facility policy (high-alert medication).
• Match insulin type to the right syringe / pen / pump.
• Rotate injection sites within the same anatomical region for absorption consistency.
• Hold or adjust insulin / oral agents per sliding scale and the provider’s written order — never on assumption.

Nutrition

• Coordinate meal trays with insulin administration (especially rapid-acting analogs).
• Refer to a registered dietitian for individualized medical nutrition therapy.
• Teach carb-counting basics. Use 15 g of carbohydrate as a common reference point (for example, a typical hypoglycemia rescue dose), but emphasize that the glucose response to any given carb load varies widely person-to-person and is affected by insulin on board, activity, illness, body size, gastric emptying, and meal composition.

Activity

• Encourage 150 minutes / week of moderate aerobic activity plus 2–3 days / week of resistance training (per ADA / general guidance).
• Teach pre-exercise glucose check and to carry fast-acting carbs.

Education / DSMES (diabetes self-management education and support)

• Refer to a DSMES program. Standard touchpoints: at diagnosis, annually, when new complications arise, with transitions of care.

Skin / foot care

• Daily foot inspection (patient and / or nurse). See foot care checklist.
• Manage pressure points and protect heels in immobile patients.
• Refer to podiatry for high-risk feet (neuropathy, deformity, prior ulcer).

Coping / mental health

• Screen for diabetes distress and depression (PHQ-2 / PHQ-9). Depression is more common in people with diabetes than the general population.
• Connect with peer support, ADCES community, or behavioral health when appropriate.

Nursing diagnosis for diabetes — 5 sample care plans

These five care plans cover the nursing diagnoses for diabetes you’ll see most often in clinical paperwork. Each uses NANDA-I 2024–2026-style language, ADA 2026-aligned interventions, and the standard student template (diagnosis → defining characteristics / risk factors → goals → interventions with rationales → evaluation).

NANDA-I label verification. NANDA-I diagnoses, definitions, defining characteristics, and related / risk factors are updated by edition (the 2024–2026 edition added 56 new diagnoses and revised 123). Before using any of these care plans for graded clinical paperwork or institutional documentation, verify the exact label, definition, and defining characteristics against your licensed NANDA-I 2024–2026 text. Where a related but distinct current label may apply, we’ve noted it.

Care Plan #1 — Risk for Unstable Blood Glucose Level

This is one of the most frequently used nursing diagnoses for diabetes on the floor, especially for newly diagnosed patients or anyone whose regimen has just changed.

Scenario. A 52-year-old patient is newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during a hospital admission for cellulitis. A1C 9.4%. Fingerstick on admission 268 mg/dL. The patient says they haven’t checked sugars at home and don’t know how to use the meter the provider sent home with them.

Diagnosis (NANDA-I 2024–2026)

Risk for Unstable Blood Glucose Level related to new T2DM diagnosis, insufficient diabetes self-management knowledge, and acute illness.

(Risk-for diagnoses use “related to” only — no “as evidenced by.”)

Goals

• By the end of the shift, the patient verbalizes the steps for checking a fingerstick glucose and demonstrates the technique with the bedside meter.
• Pre-discharge, the patient identifies their personalized A1C and glucose targets and the three earliest signs of hypoglycemia.
• Pre-discharge, the patient verbalizes when to call the provider (glucose < 70 or > 300 with symptoms, illness, ketones).

Interventions and rationales

Evaluation

• Did the patient demonstrate accurate self-monitoring before discharge?
• Did glucose stay within the individualized target range during hospitalization?
• Did the patient verbalize hypoglycemia symptoms and rescue steps?

Care Plan #2 — Deficient Knowledge: Diabetes Self-Management

Scenario. A 67-year-old patient with T2DM is being discharged on basal-bolus insulin for the first time after years of metformin alone. They tell you, “I don’t really get when to take the long-acting versus the fast-acting. And I’m scared of needles.” Spouse expresses willingness to help but also has limited knowledge.

Diagnosis (NANDA-I 2024–2026)

Deficient Knowledge: Diabetes Self-Management related to new medication regimen, low prior exposure, and expressed fear of injection, as evidenced by patient stating, “I don’t get when to take which one” and reluctance to handle insulin pen during demonstration.

Goals

• By the end of teaching session, the patient demonstrates correct insulin pen technique using a saline trainer.
• Pre-discharge, the patient verbalizes the difference between basal and bolus insulin and when to use each.
• Pre-discharge, the patient and the spouse together demonstrate fingerstick technique and verbalize what to do for a reading < 70 mg/dL.

Interventions and rationales

Evaluation

• Did the patient and spouse demonstrate competence with insulin pen and meter?
• Did the patient verbalize basal vs. bolus differences in their own words?
• Was the DSMES referral placed and confirmed before discharge?

Care Plan #3 — Risk for Infection

Scenario. A 58-year-old patient with T2DM is post-op day 2 from a colectomy. Glucose has been running 220–280 mg/dL on sliding scale. WBC trending up from 11 to 14. Surgical site is dry and intact, but the IV site shows mild erythema.

Diagnosis (NANDA-I 2024–2026)

Risk for Infection related to hyperglycemia-impaired immune function, surgical wound, and indwelling vascular and urinary devices.

Goals

• The patient maintains glucose within the inpatient target range. Per ADA 2026: for most noncritically ill hospitalized patients, 100–180 mg/dL when achievable without significant hypoglycemia; for most critically ill / ICU patients, 140–180 mg/dL. Initiate or intensify therapy for persistent hyperglycemia ≥ 180 mg/dL confirmed on two occasions in 24 hours.
• The patient is free from signs of new infection (no fever, no purulent drainage, no rising WBC) by hospital day 5.
• The patient verbalizes three signs of infection to report after discharge.

Interventions and rationales

Evaluation

• Were glucose values within the inpatient target range during the shift?
• No new signs of infection at any monitored site?
• Did the patient teach back three signs of infection to report after discharge?

Care Plan #4 — Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity (Diabetic Foot)

Scenario. A 71-year-old patient with T2DM x 15 years presents to clinic with bilateral plantar calluses. Reports occasional “numbness like a sock is on.” Monofilament screening: cannot feel the 10-g filament at 6 of 10 plantar sites bilaterally. Pulses palpable but diminished. No active ulcer today.

Diagnosis (NANDA-I 2024–2026)

Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity related to peripheral sensory neuropathy, diminished protective sensation, and chronic hyperglycemia.

(Note: if an actual ulcer or breakdown is present, switch to Impaired Skin Integrity or Impaired Tissue Integrity depending on depth — Wagner grade ≥ 2 typically requires the tissue-integrity label.)

Goals

• The patient verbalizes a daily foot-inspection routine and demonstrates use of a mirror to view plantar surfaces by the end of the visit.
• The patient remains free of new foot ulcers, blisters, or calluses requiring intervention at the 3-month follow-up.
• The patient identifies three specific situations requiring same-day call to the provider (any open lesion, redness, drainage, or sudden change in sensation).

Interventions and rationales

Evaluation

• Did the patient demonstrate daily inspection technique?
• Are the feet free of new lesions, calluses, or open wounds at follow-up?
• Was a podiatry / vascular referral placed when indicated?

Care Plan #5 — Overweight

Scenario. A 44-year-old patient with T2DM, BMI 34, sedentary office job. A1C 8.2%. Reports that meals are usually fast food on the road; “I know I should eat better but I don’t have time.” Spouse cooks dinner. No prior dietitian referral.

Diagnosis (NANDA-I 2024–2026)

Overweight related to energy intake exceeding energy expenditure, sedentary lifestyle, and reliance on calorie-dense convenience foods, as evidenced by BMI 34, A1C 8.2%, and patient-reported fast-food meal pattern.

(NANDA-I uses Overweight and Obesity as distinct diagnoses by BMI category. Verify the precise label, definition, and defining characteristics against your licensed NANDA-I 2024–2026 text. If your facility’s text uses an alternate label such as “Imbalanced Nutrition” or a health-management diagnosis, swap accordingly.)

Goals

• The patient identifies two realistic dietary changes they’re willing to try this week (e.g., swap one fast-food meal for a packed lunch, switch sugary drinks to water or unsweetened).
• The patient verbalizes one weekly activity goal aligned with the ADA recommendation of ≥ 150 minutes / week of moderate activity.
• A1C decreases by ≥ 0.5% at the 3-month follow-up.

Interventions and rationales

Evaluation

• Did the patient identify and attempt the dietary changes?
• Is the patient meeting the activity goal at follow-up?
• Has A1C decreased at the 3-month visit?

Hypoglycemia rescue (15-15 rule)

Conscious patient, able to swallow safely:

1. Give 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate — examples: 4 oz juice, 4 oz regular soda, 3–4 glucose tablets, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tube glucose gel.
2. Wait 15 minutes and recheck blood glucose.
3. If still < 70 mg/dL, repeat steps 1–2.
4. Once back in range, give a complex carb + protein snack if the next meal is more than an hour away.

Severe hypoglycemia (unable to swallow safely or altered mental status):

• Do not give oral glucose — aspiration risk.
• Administer glucagon 1 mg IM / SC (Glucagon Emergency Kit) or 3 mg intranasal (Baqsimi) per facility protocol or family / school training.
• In the hospital: D50W 25 g IV per provider order.
• Place patient in recovery position, monitor airway, and call rapid response / 911 if outside hospital.

Special note for alpha-glucosidase inhibitors: Patients on acarbose or miglitol must rescue with glucose (dextrose) specifically — sucrose absorption is delayed.

Sick day rules

When a person with diabetes is sick (cold, flu, GI illness, infection), glucose can swing dramatically. Teach:

• Do not stop insulin — even if not eating. Basal insulin almost always continues. Adjust per provider sick-day plan.
• Check glucose every 3–4 hours (or per provider).
• Check ketones (urine or blood) if T1DM and glucose > 250 mg/dL.
• Hydrate — sip clear fluids; if unable to eat, take regular (non-diet) clear fluids in small amounts to provide some carbohydrate.
• Know when to call: persistent vomiting, glucose > 300, ketones moderate or large, signs of DKA (Kussmaul respirations, fruity breath, abdominal pain), altered mental status.
• If the patient takes an SGLT2 inhibitor (Jardiance, Farxiga, Invokana, etc.): follow the provider’s sick-day plan for temporary hold during acute illness, dehydration, or poor oral intake — and before scheduled procedures. Watch for euglycemic DKA: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, rapid breathing, or general malaise warrant evaluation even if the glucose isn’t very high. ADA convention is to stop most SGLT2 inhibitors ~3 days before scheduled surgery.

Every patient with diabetes should have a written sick-day plan personalized by their provider.

Diabetic foot care checklist

Daily — by the patient:

• Wash with warm (not hot) water; pat dry, especially between toes
• Inspect tops, bottoms, sides, and between toes (mirror or helper if needed)
• Moisturize tops and bottoms (not between toes — fungal risk)
• Wear clean, dry socks
• Inspect shoes for foreign objects, rough seams, or wear before putting them on
• Never go barefoot, not even at home

Periodically:

• Trim toenails straight across; file rough edges
• Have a podiatrist trim if vision, dexterity, or sensation are limited
• Replace shoes when they show wear

At routine diabetes visits:

• Remove shoes and socks
• Visually inspect skin, nails, deformities, footwear, and pulses as clinically indicated

At least annually (and more often for high-risk feet — neuropathy, PAD, deformity, prior ulcer, loss of protective sensation):

• Comprehensive foot exam with 10-g monofilament, 128-Hz tuning fork (vibration), and full vascular and neurologic assessment

Refer to podiatry for: prior ulcer, deformity (hammer toes, Charcot foot), peripheral artery disease, loss of protective sensation on monofilament screening, or any active foot lesion.

For more info: Diabetic foot ulcer impaired skin integrity

Escalation red flags

Discharge and patient teaching

Practice question

Which of the following are appropriate nursing actions for a patient with T2DM whose fingerstick glucose is 58 mg/dL and who is alert and oriented? (Select all that apply.)

• A. Administer 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate
• B. Hold the patient’s next scheduled long-acting insulin
• C. Recheck blood glucose in 15 minutes
• D. Administer IM glucagon
• E. Provide a complex carb + protein snack if the next meal is more than an hour away

Answer: A, C, E.

• A and C — the 15-15 rule for a conscious patient who can swallow safely.
• E — once back in range, a complex carb + protein snack helps prevent rebound hypoglycemia.
• B — long-acting (basal) insulin is usually NOT held for a single hypoglycemic episode; verify with provider. The bolus / sliding scale dose at the next meal might be adjusted.
• D — glucagon is reserved for severe hypoglycemia (unable to swallow safely or altered mental status). This patient is alert and oriented.

FAQs

What is the primary nursing diagnosis for diabetes?

There is no single “primary” nursing diagnosis for diabetes — it depends on the patient. NANDA-I 2024–2026-style labels commonly used for people with diabetes include Risk for Unstable Blood Glucose Level, Deficient Knowledge: Diabetes Self-Management, Risk for Infection, Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity, and Overweight (or Obesity, depending on BMI). Pick the one that best fits the patient’s actual presentation, and verify the exact label against your licensed NANDA-I 2024–2026 text.

What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes for the nurse?

Type 1 is absolute insulin deficiency from autoimmune beta-cell destruction; the patient will always need insulin and is at high risk of DKA. Type 2 is insulin resistance plus relative insulin deficiency; it’s usually managed with lifestyle, oral / injectable non-insulin agents, and insulin later in the disease course. T2DM patients more often present in HHS than DKA.

What is the 15-15 rule for hypoglycemia?

Give 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate, wait 15 minutes, and recheck. If glucose is still under 70 mg/dL, repeat the cycle. Use this approach only for an alert patient who can swallow safely.

When should I escalate care in a patient with diabetes?

Same-shift provider notification for any of the following: persistent glucose > 300 with ketones (T1DM), glucose > 600 with elevated osm (HHS pattern), severe hypoglycemia (< 54 mg/dL or any altered mental status), Kussmaul respirations or fruity breath, new black or rapidly enlarging foot lesion, persistent vomiting with high glucose, or any sign of sepsis. Always escalate per facility policy.

Why is A1C the standard glycemic control marker?

A1C reflects average blood glucose over roughly the past 90 days because it measures the percentage of glycated hemoglobin. It’s not affected by a single meal or recent activity, so it’s a more durable marker than fingerstick glucose for long-term control. It can be unreliable in patients with hemoglobinopathies, recent transfusion, or rapidly changing glycemia — those situations may require fructosamine or CGM-derived metrics instead.

What is time-in-range and is it more useful than A1C?

Time-in-range (TIR) is the percentage of time a patient’s CGM glucose stays between 70 and 180 mg/dL. For most adults, the goal is > 70%. TIR captures variability and hypoglycemia exposure that A1C misses, so the two are complementary — not interchangeable. ADA 2026 incorporates both.

Related resources

• Hyperglycemia Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan — companion page for acute hyperglycemia
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan — companion page for DKA management
• Nursing Diagnosis — full NANDA-I guide
• Nursing Interventions — independent, dependent, collaborative interventions explained
• Nursing Care Plan Template — fillable template you can adapt for any patient
• Nursing Process — the 5-step framework refresher
• ADPIE — Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation

References

1. American Diabetes Association. Standards of Care in Diabetes — 2026. Diabetes Care. https://diabetesjournals.org/care/issue
2. Herdman TH, Kamitsuru S, Lopes CT (eds). NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses: Definitions and Classification, 13th ed., 2024–2026. Thieme. https://nanda.org/
3. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Diabetes Overview. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html
5. Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists. DSMES — Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. https://www.adces.org/perceptions/find-a-diabetes-education-program
6. Pop-Busui R, Boulton AJM, Feldman EL, et al. Diabetic Neuropathy: A Position Statement by the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care, 2017. https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/40/1/136/
7. Battelino T, Danne T, Bergenstal RM, et al. Clinical Targets for Continuous Glucose Monitoring Data Interpretation: Recommendations From the International Consensus on Time in Range. Diabetes Care, 2019. https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/42/8/1593/
8. American Association of Clinical Endocrinology. Comprehensive Type 2 Diabetes Management Algorithm. https://pro.aace.com/clinical-guidance
9. National Library of Medicine (NCBI Bookshelf). Nursing Care Planning Diagnostic Process. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK589741/
10. Kitabchi AE, Umpierrez GE, Miles JM, Fisher JN. Hyperglycemic Crises in Adult Patients with Diabetes. Diabetes Care, 2009 (updated 2024 ADA consensus). https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/32/7/1335/

Source notes. The ADA Standards of Care 2026 is updated annually and online when evidence or regulatory changes warrant. For specific claims, consult the relevant section: “Diagnosis and Classification,” “Glycemic Goals and Hypoglycemia,” “Pharmacologic Approaches,” “Older Adults,” “Microvascular Complications and Foot Care,” “Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy,” or “Diabetes Care in the Hospital.” NANDA-I diagnoses, definitions, defining characteristics, and related / risk factors should be verified in the licensed NANDA-I 2024–2026 text before clinical documentation.