This study examined the differing perceptions of diabetic patients and their nurses regarding the completion of self-care activities, barriers to participation in diabetes health education, and diabetic patients' educational needs to promote better health care for patients with diabetes in Taiwan. This study employed a cross-sectional survey. The data were collected during 2009. Questionnaires were developed to collect data on a convenience sample of 312 patients with type 2 diabetes and 202 nurses recruited from diabetes clinics in Taiwan. Perceptions of self-care behavior were statistically significantly different between patients and nurses (t = -5.05, P < 0.000). The patients perceived themselves to be more successful at completing self-care tasks whereas nurses perceived patients to be less successful at completing self-care tasks. Nurses perceived patients to experience greater difficulties in diabetes health education (t = 18.36, P < 0.000). Nurses perceived there to be a greater need for health education as compared with patients (t = 9.03, P < 0.000).