How do I become a Diabetes Nurse Educator?

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I am currently an ER nurse, but someday i would like to become involved as a diabetes nurse educator, how do i go about doing this? i currently have 2 years experience and my BSN.... help!!

could you send me a private message

thanks a bunch!

my mother is a diabetic on the pump......diabetes has always been a thing for me..

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Hello,

My username is wantmorenurse. I am an RN with 23 years of Emergency Nursing experience. I have worked PRN in IV therapy and home health. Over the last 5 years I have held the position of Director of the ED. I want to do something different. A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with Diabetes. I want so much to help educate communities, patients on what diabetes is and how to prevent/manage etc. I have searched the web and see a specialty for diabetes nurse educator. I want to know how I can begin to get hours educating for experience and preparation for the certification?

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I'm an RN working in med/surg. I want to become a diabetes nurse educator. Does anyone know what the steps to take? Everywhere I look, it seems I need 2 years experience with diabetes patients. How do I do that before becoming a diabetic educator? Does anyone know what's the salary like?

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

I checked into becoming a diabetic nurse educator a year or so ago and the hours required are many. My floor doesn't get many newly diagnosed diabetics. I had no idea where I would get the hours, couldn't find a hospital with a diabetic nurse educator to precept me. I gave up. Here's their website. I heard the pay was a couple a bucks an hour more. Good Luck http://www.aadenet.org/

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Specializes in Emergency / Level 1 Trauma Center.

Check with the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) http://www.diabeteseducator.org/. I too am an ED nurse with an interest in diabetes education. I belong to AADE.

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HI guys,

I am very much interested to become a Diabetic educator.Any helpful info is highly appreciated??

thanks yall

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Hi there,

Does anyone have any good study guides that they used to prepare for their CDE exam? Or any tips at all?? I am getting ready to take it in October and would really love to hear about anyone's experiences.

Thanks!

Aimee

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

hello, aimee,

here is a link to the national certification board for diabetic educators (ncbde). they are the certifying body:

http://www.ncbde.org/studying.html

you can find study aids/references for the examination.

also, check with the american diabetic association (ada):

http://www.diabetes.org/for-health-professionals-and-scientists/professionals.jsp

good luck.

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.
sim said:
hi guys,

i am very much interested to become a diabetic educator.any helpful info is highly appreciated??

thanks yall

this information may be of benefit to you:

Quote
to qualify for the examination, the following requirements must be met at the time of application and examination:

1. discipline

a. clinical psychologist, registered nurse, occupational therapist, optometrist, pharmacist, physical therapist, physician (m.d. or d.o.), or podiatrist holding a current, active, unrestricted license from the united states or its territories.

or

b. dietitian holding active registration as a dietitian with the commission on dietetic registration or physician assistant holding active registration with the national commission on certification of physician assistants.

or

c. diabetes educator with a minimum of a master's degree in social work or exercise physiology from a united states college or university accredited by a nationally recognized regional accrediting body.

2. professional practice experience

all professional practice experience is defined as employment for compensation as a diabetes educator in the united states or its territories within the past five years. employment for compensation means to hold a job in which one is actively engaged in diabetes self-management training and for which paid income is comparable to other diabetes educators in the same area or region of the country. only experience occurring after completing the discipline requirement can be counted toward the professional practice experience requirement.

after meeting the discipline requirement and before applying for the examination, all (a through c) of the following requirements must be met:

a. a minimum of two years (to the day) of professional practice experience in diabetes self-management training.

and

b. a minimum of 1,000 hours of diabetes self-management training experience.

and

c. current employment in a defined role as a diabetes educator a minimum of four hours per week, or its equivalent, at the time of application.

http://www.ncbde.org/eligibilityreq.html

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I do believe you ought to be certified, but I also believe you need REAL experience first. The trick is to get into the Education dept and learn the ropes. I went to nursing school to be a diabetic educator. After graduation I learned there are only a few (sometimes only one!) CDE in each hospital. Ten years later I had finished my MSN to teach when an Educator role at a hospital was available and Surprise! They needed someone to back up the CDE. So being prepared puts you in the path, but does not guarantee a position. I suggest talking to CDE's in your area. Good luck!

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I passed my CDE last year. I studied the "Core Curriculum for Diabetes Educators" from AADE. It has review questions at the end of each chapter that were especially helpful. I started with the chapters dealing with subjects I am least familiar with (like kids and gestational). Good luck.

Can I just add that I found it interesting there are ED nurses interested in becoming educators. Around here, I often feel like the nurses in ED and the floor don't consider us "real nurses" and think we just sit around in luxury and don't have to work. I even had a supervisor once tell me that I didn't deserve the same pay as the floor nurses because I "don't use my nursing skills in this job". Couldn't be more wrong! For those of you wanting to go into this practice, know ahead of time that you may face some discrimination from colleagues who do not understand or respect your practice.

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I, too, want to become a diabetes educator. I have visited the Diabetes educator site, it says nothing about training, only how many hours you need in order to become eligible to take the exam. How can I get the experience educating diabetic patients without having specialty training? I have looked online for educator courses, but I don't see any located in my home state of Florida. I am a new RN, I went into nursing to become a diabetic educator. Does anybody have and advice on a career path? I would appreciate any information. Thanks!! :paw:

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