Certified Diabetes Educator Job Description, Skills and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a certified diabetes educator. Feel free to use our certified diabetes educator job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a certified diabetes educator.
Who is a Certified Diabetes Educator?
A certified diabetes educator is a medical expert who assists diabetic individuals in better understanding their disease and how to manage it.
In a similar vein, a Certified Diabetes Educator is a healthcare worker who has been trained to guide diabetic patients through their self-care. These medical experts have received considerable training in the treatment of diabetes and are well-qualified to provide high-quality care to diabetic patients.
Patients are taught about diet and nutrition maintaining proper blood sugar levels, as well as how to monitor those levels, by a certified diabetes educator. More so, they instruct patients on the proper administration of oral and injectable diabetic drugs, as well as the timing of maximum effects, signs, and symptoms of hypoglycemia, and how to avoid a blood glucose level drop.
A Diabetes Educator is a professional who works with individuals who are diagnosed with diabetes. This employment entails telling a patient about their medical condition and then working with them to find a solution. To do so, professionals in this field must be motivated to stay up to date on the latest medical advancements concerning this ailment.
As a Certified Diabetes Educator, your job is to teach a layman how to manage their diabetes and raise diabetes-related literacy awareness to improve people’s health.
They also educate patients about the haemoglobin A1C screening test and the information it provides. If the patient is having trouble managing their diabetes, the trained Diabetes educator can recruit the help of a family member or friend. They inform the physician of any concerns, difficulties with the treatment plan, or barriers to compliance, and then execute and evaluate therapy adjustments.
It is worthy to note that Sugar testing, medicine administration, insulin delivery, results logging, and other diabetes-related topics are all covered by Certified Diabetes Educators. Hospitals, public health departments, nonprofit groups, and colleges and universities are among the places where certified diabetes educators work.
Most importantly, certified diabetes educators stay current with the newest ideas in nutrition as this enables them to support people with diabetes and develop goals for their treatment programs as well as select foods that suit their tastes and affordability.
A certified Diabetes Educator is likely to have excellent communication abilities as well as prior healthcare expertise. They normally work in a hospital or a doctor’s office, although some go to homes to see patients. Those in this field often have a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a registered nurse (RN) license, as well as having passed the Diabetes Education certification exam offered by National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators.
Certified Diabetes Educator Job Description
Below are the certified diabetes educator job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a certified diabetes educator job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
- Teaching groups of patients and caregivers about diabetes diseases in classes or meeting with them one-on-one.
- Issuing diabetes therapy and ensuring that the patient follows it.
- Ensuring that Internal and cooperative advocacy campaigns are being intensified.
- Educating patients on the causes of Type II diabetes as well as strategies for reducing the chances of developing it.
- Describing how to recognize and treat diabetes problems
- Performing diabetes treatment duties and keeping track of the development of patients.
- Educating Patients and their families about diabetes and how to manage it.
- collaborating with patients to discover and encourage lifestyle changes.
- Maintaining your understanding of the most recent developments in the field of diabetes.
- Practicalizing how to use oral diabetic treatments as well as insulin injections.
- Keeping track of lab results and discussing them with patients.
- Participating in the monitoring and reporting of lab test results, such as haemoglobin A1C checks regularly
- Identifying and encouraging chances for patients to make lifestyle adjustments.
- Giving instructions on how to utilize devices such as a glucometer and an insulin pump.
- Educating Pre-diabetic people about diabetes and what they may do to avoid it.
- Assuring that diabetes education meets national criteria.
- Informing and promoting Patients, staff, primary care doctors, and other community institutions about the Diabetes and Nutrition Center.
Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree in nursing or a closely related profession is required.
- Diabetes Educator certification from the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators.
- Registered Nurse License
- Experience teaching diabetes is preferred.
- Completion of a government-approved diabetes education program.
- Proven prior experience in a similar position.
- Deep knowledge of the most recent diabetic research in the medical profession.
- Expertise and understanding in the treatment of diabetic patients.
- Strong communication skills and a positive mindset are required.
- Ability to communicate complex medical concepts to patients and their families in a way that they can comprehend.
Essential Skills
If you want to pursue this professional path, you’ll need to develop specific abilities that will help you stay relevant and effectively carry out your responsibilities. These abilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Communication skills:
As a Certified Diabetes Educator, you’ll be responsible for informing diabetic patients about treatment options and diabetes management, among other things. As a result, one of the abilities you should improve is your ability to communicate. This competence allows you to successfully communicate treatment strategies to patients and their loved ones. Similarly, your communication abilities can assist you in translating complex material into simple directions.
- Analytical abilities:
As a Certified Diabetes Educator, you must possess analytical skills to process and evaluate diabetic patient data and make apps to make diabetes treatment adjustments. Changing insulin dosages, administering thyroid medicine, altering target blood glucose targets, and revising insulin-to-carb ratios are all examples of this.
- Compassion:
Diabetes is a disease that sufferers must live with for the rest of their lives. Compassion guarantees that you treat your patients with respect and empathy through a potentially stressful period for them as a Certified Diabetes Educator.
- Attention to detail:
This skill necessitates a keen sense of observation. Because even minor changes in a blood test or blood sugar levels can have a significant impact on a patient’s overall health, certified diabetes educators must keep a constant eye on health trends.
- Leadership skills:
Certified diabetes educators, especially those in leadership roles who directly affect the decisions and actions of other nurses, must be able to direct other nurses and medical professionals in the treatment of patients.
- Intelligence:
Teaching others about diabetes necessitates a high level of intelligence and knowledge. Those working in this field must be motivated to stay up to date on the latest medical discoveries concerning this ailment.
- Interpersonal skills:
This skill is concerned with your ability to interact with others. Certified diabetes educators deal with a large number of people while educating them on important diabetes topics. They also often communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals about patient information and treatment options. They should be able to do so professionally and tactfully
- Broad knowledge base:
Most newly diagnosed diabetes patients will have a plethora of questions concerning their condition. Certified diabetes educators should be able to provide disease control guidance to patients as well as answer diabetes-related inquiries about insulin administration and sugar levels monitoring.
How to Become a Certified Diabetes Educator
To become a Certified Diabetes Educator, one must have an interest in the medical field and be willing to pursue the education, experience, skills, and certifications required for this profession. Those interested in becoming Certified Diabetes Educators should follow the processes outlined below:
- Step 1: Obtain a Nursing degree
To become a certified diabetes educator, you must first obtain licensure as a registered nurse. Certified diabetic educators are also Nurses. To become a registered nurse, you must first complete a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from a recognized program. This could take four to five years to finish. Expect to learn about a variety of sciences during your degree, including biology, chemistry, and anatomy. Clinicals are required in the final years of nursing school to gain a thorough understanding of patient care.
- Step 2: Obtain a license as a registered nurse.
The journey to becoming a registered nurse does not end after you finish your nursing education. To legally work as a registered nurse, you must obtain your Registered Nurse (RN) license after graduating from your nursing education. You can get this license by passing the NCLEX-RN exam in the state where you want to work. Because this is a difficult exam, it’s crucial to prepare ahead of time and quiz yourself with practice questions.
Step 3: Accumulate experience
When it comes to recruiting, employees value experience more than anything else. Once you have obtained relevant experience in this professional path as a registered nurse, you may demonstrate your relevance in this industry and gain an advantage over others. Working in a direct patient care setting as a Certified Diabetes Educator can provide you with appropriate expertise in this profession. Look for a career that will allow you to work directly with diabetic patients while also providing treatment and care. Finding a career that allows you to provide instruction and support to these patients is a fantastic approach to gaining relevant experience.
Step 4: Apply for certification.
This career path necessitates the acquisition of qualifications. Before you can apply for the diabetes educator certification, you must have worked in this field for a few years. Certification as a diabetes educator honours experience and achievement in the field of diabetes education and validates that a person has the knowledge, ability, and the necessary qualifications to practice successfully and safely within the scope of their profession.
Individuals interested in this professional path can apply for at least two certificates, which are:
Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) designation: The National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE) provides this service. This certification is valid for five years after you receive it, after which you must reapply. You must meet the following requirements to get this credential:
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- Have a current license as a registered nurse (RN).
- You must have two years of professional experience under your belt.
- Within four years of applying for the certificate, complete 1,000 hours of diabetes instruction.
- Within the first year of application, complete 400 hours of diabetes education.
- Within two years after applying, complete 15 hours of appropriate NCBDE-approved continuing education.
Board Certified-Advanced Diabetes Management designation: The American Association of Diabetes Educators issues this credential. This certification is also valid for five years after it is obtained. You must meet the following requirements to get this credential:
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- A current Registered Nurse (RN) license is required.
- Obtain a master’s or higher degree in nursing.
- Within four years of applying, you must have 500 hours of clinical experience.
Step 5: Learn the abilities you’ll need
To accomplish their job properly, a licensed diabetes educator nurse needs a precise set of abilities. Honing these specific skill sets will assist you in doing well in your obligations and demonstrating your relevance in this professional path. As a future certified Diabetes instructor, you’ll need to hone your communication, compassion, and cognitive skills, among other things. Patients will understand Diabetes treatment strategies if you have good communication skills. Similarly, compassion skills will aid in treating them with respect and understanding.
Step 6: Locate a suitable employer
After you’ve earned your degree and certification, you might want to hunt for a job that encourages this type of work. Outpatient clinics, hospitals, private practices, public health institutions, and nursing homes are all common places for certified diabetes educators to work. This position may also require you to travel to provide at-home care and education. To guarantee you have the opportunity to serve diabetes patients who require special care, do some background research to discover employers who work with an accredited diabetes education program.
Where to Work as a Certified Diabetes Educator
You could work in various settings, including hospitals, public health departments, nonprofit organizations, physician offices, home health agencies, wellness programs, clinics, and colleges or universities if you choose this career. In these situations, a certified diabetes educator specializes in guiding and managing patients with Type I and Type II diabetes, as well as gestational diabetes.
Furthermore, trained diabetes educators collaborate with an approved diabetes education program that has met the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ requirements, enabling charging for diabetes self-management instruction for individuals or groups.
Certified Diabetes Educator Salary Scale
Earnings vary depending on several criteria, including the employer, education, experience, certification, supplementary skills, and geographic area, as with most employment.
The average Diabetes Educator income in the United States is $85,037 as of May 27, 2022, according to salary.com, but the range frequently falls between $76,482 and $93,931.
