Nursing Roles in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Prevention, Wound Management, and Digital Monitoring.

Diabetic foot ulcers — open wounds on the feet that are slow to heal in people with diabetes — are a leading cause of amputation, so finding better ways to prevent and treat them matters enormously. This article, published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments (a journal that publishes step-by-step demonstration videos of laboratory and clinical methods), explains the expanding role of nurses in three connected areas: stopping ulcers before they start, managing wounds when they do occur, and using digital tools to monitor feet remotely. Rather than reporting a single clinical trial with hundreds of patients, it presents a practical, protocol-style overview of nursing techniques — for example structured foot inspections, correct offloading (taking pressure off the wound), cleaning and dressing wounds, and teaching patients self-care. It also describes digital monitoring approaches such as smartphone photography, temperature-sensing mats, and wearable sensors that can flag early warning signs like rising skin temperature or new redness before an ulcer becomes serious. The key message is that consistent, skilled nursing care and early detection can substantially reduce ulcer formation and complications, and that nurses are often the frontline providers who catch problems first. The article notes that these methods are well suited to busy clinics and to patients managing their feet at home between visits. Because this is a methods and review-style paper rather than a randomized trial, it does not provide definitive proof of how much these approaches reduce amputation rates in every setting, and results can vary depending on patient resources, training, and follow-up. Still, it supports the growing view that organized nursing and digital follow-up should be standard parts of diabetic foot care.