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Background: Type 3c diabetes is a form of diabetes that a patient can develop secondary to diverse pancreatic complications. The blood sugar of these patients is highly fluctuating and can be very hard to handle. In a previous project a new diabetes-diary was developed to, alongside other work at the department, promote the patients’ learning about blood sugar and insulin treatment postoperatively after newly debuted diabetes due to total panctreatectomy. The diary has however not been tested and the efficiency of it in regards to the patient’s learning about blood sugar and insulin treatment is still unknown.  

Aim: To investigate how the new diabetes diary and the overall work at the department promotes the patients’ learning about blood sugar and insulin during the postoperative period after a total pancreatomy.

Method: A feasibility study was made using a qualitative method. Data was collected through 5 focus group interviews with nurses and nursing assistants separately between September and December 2022 at Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset in Huddinge, Stockholm. The data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. 

Results: The new diabetes diary could not be evaluated due to shortage of patients. The analysis of the interviews with the nurses and the assistant nurses indicated inadequate routines and the participants desired more education from different professions. Opinions of the participants on the new diary were positive in regards to the structure and visual appeal. Interventions and support from the clinical pharmacist were valued by the participants. The communication between nurses and assistant nurses was not perceived as optimal. 

Conclusion: This feasibility study show that a longer study period is required to answer the preset aim of the study. Patient data could not be collected and evaluated due to shortage of patients. Interviews with the staff indicated that more uniform routines, internal education and improved communication may improve patients’ learning about diabetes control. However, this needs further evaluation in future studies where the diabetes diary is actually tested.