Objective To study the application of self-designed manual for diabetes education,in order to standard,scientize and trail diabetes education.Methods 13 diabetes education nurses' workload was compared before the use of the manual from January to June in 2009 with that after the use of the manual during the same period in 2010 in a diabetes special hospital in Tianjin.Besides,self-designed inpatients' evaluation chart of diabetes education was used to compare 270 inpatients' knowledge before and after the use of the manual.Results After the use of the manual,the workload of education nurses increased significantly.The frequency of contract learning,picture talk and collective education increased from [( 16.88±6.49),(28.22 ±4.60),(12.55 ±3.35) times/month] to [(35.11 ±6.09),(42.11 ±4.78),(28.33 ±2.39) times/month],and the differences were statistically significant (t =7.39,7.55,13.83,respectively; P ＜ 0.01 ).In the meantime,the effect of education was also improved.Scores of different departments increased from [(3.45 ±1.23),(2.80±1.47),(2.60±1.50),(2.80 ±1.06),(2.25 ±1.18),(2.50 ±1.43),(2.45 ±1.23),(3.05 ±1.33),(2.50±1.20) points/person] to [(7.30±1.62),(7.10±1.48),(6.80±1.58),(6.55 ±1.70),(6.30 ± 1.75 ),( 6.90± 1.52 ),( 7.00 ± 1.52),( 6.95 ± 1.54),( 6.20 ± 2.62 ) points/person],and the differences were statistically significant ( t =2.83,2.96,2.83,2.05,2.76,3.30,3.75,2.33,2.02,respectively; P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions After the use of the manual,diabetes education becomes more organized and planned,and develops with measures and evaluations.Patients' knowledge and behavior can also be improved in order to control their blood glucose.