Continuous glucose monitoring among nurse practitioners in primary care: Characteristics associated with prescribing and resources needed to support use.

Abstract

Background: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) can improve health for people with diabetes but is limited in primary care (PC). Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in PC can improve diabetes management through CGM, but NPs' interest in CGM and support needed are unclear.

Purpose: We describe behaviors and attitudes related to CGM for diabetes management among NPs in PC.

Methodology: This cross-sectional web-based survey of NPs practicing in PC settings used descriptive statistics to describe CGM experience and identify resources to support prescribing. We used multivariable regression to explore characteristics predicting prescribing and confidence using CGM for diabetes.

Results: Nurse practitioners in hospital-owned settings were twice as likely to have prescribed CGM (odds ratio [OR] = 2.320, 95% CI [1.097, 4.903]; p = .002) than private practice; those in academic medical centers were less likely (OR = 0.098, 95% CI [0.012, 0.799]; p = .002). Past prescribing was associated with favorability toward future prescribing (coef. = 0.7284, SE = 0.1255, p < .001) and confidence using CGM to manage diabetes (type 1: coef. = 3.57, SE = 0.51, p < .001; type 2: coef. = 3.49, SE = 0.51, p < .001). Resources to prescribe CGM included consultation with an endocrinologist (62%), educational website (61%), and endocrinological e-consultations (59%).

Conclusions: Nurse practitioners are open to prescribing CGM and can improve diabetes management and health outcomes for PC patients.

Implications: Research should explore mechanisms behind associations with CGM experience and attitudes. Efforts to advance CGM should include educational websites and endocrinology consultations for NPs in PC.