Integration of Digital Health in Nursing Practice for the Prevention and Management of Diabetic Foot Wounds: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are serious complications of diabetes mellitus that require continuous monitoring, early detection, patient education, and coordinated management. Digital health technologies offer opportunities to strengthen nursing practice and improve continuity of care. This review aimed to map the evidence regarding the integration of digital health into nursing practice for the prevention and management of DFUs. A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and the Cochrane Library, with additional grey literature from Google Scholar. Studies published in English between 2015 and 2026 were considered. From 1,290 identified articles, 35 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the synthesis. The identified technologies included telemedicine and telenursing, mobile health (mHealth), digital wound imaging, remote monitoring, wearable devices, and artificial intelligence. These technologies supported early detection, wound assessment and monitoring, patient education, self-care, communication, and continuity of nursing care. Reported outcomes included improved foot-care knowledge and behavior, self-management, access to care, wound monitoring, and potential prevention of amputation. However, evidence remained heterogeneous, with challenges related to infrastructure, cost, digital literacy, interoperability, data security, and user acceptance. Digital health has considerable potential to strengthen nurse-led, patient-centered care for DFUs. Further research is needed to evaluate long-term effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, safety, nursing outcomes, and sustainable implementation across diverse healthcare settings