Learning to practise the Guided Self-Determination approach in type 2 diabetes in primary care: A qualitative pilot study

AIM: To describe how diabetes nurses in primary care experience the process of learning to practise the person-centred counselling approach Guided Self-Determination among adults with type 2 diabetes.

DESIGN: A descriptive qualitative design.

METHOD: Data were collected in 2014-2015 by means of individual interviews with four diabetes nurses at two points in time. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS: Three themes that reflect nurses' processes in learning to use the Guided Self-Determination approach were identified: (1) from an unfamiliar interaction to "cracking the code"; (2) from an unspecific approach to a structured, reflective, but demanding approach; and (3) from a nurse-centred to a patient-centred approach. The overall findings indicate that the process of learning to practise Guided Self-Determination increased the nurses' counselling competence. Moreover, the nurses perceived the approach to be generally helpful, as it stimulated reflections about diabetes management and about their own counselling practices.