Looking for help finding a diabetes preceptorship

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Hello everyone!

I have been a long time visitor to this site, but this is my first post. I am an RN who is working on her MSN through Capella university. I am specializing in diabetes. This program requires what is known as field experience, which is basically a specialized internship or clinical based on your specialization. It requires you to chose a practice site and a preceptor for your experience. I am looking for help finding someone to precept me. My first field experience class is focused on the pathophysiology of diabetes and assessment of patients with diabetes. My school requires that my preceptor be an RN or PA that have at least a masters degree. I would also really like to work with someone who has a CDE or a BC-ADM because I would like one of these certifications in the future. I currently live in the Southern California area. Any help everyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

FutureDiabetesRN

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

get on the phone and start calling educators at hospitals and nutritionists/dieticians at various health facilities. There will be someone in your area to whom these people refer for medical and nutritional therapy (out pt diabetic teaching). MD's have to complete referrals for out-pt education, so endocrinology staff might be networking with someone too. Good luck!

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I specialized in adult care and knew I would need to be proficient in treating diabetes...or what's the point of taking care of adults?

I called an endocrinology office in my area and was delighted that the practice manager was very interested in the idea, even though they'd never had a student previously. She presented it to the physicians in one of their regular meetings and it was a go! I rotated through the clinic with each physician in the practice in the mornings (one doc/week) and then worked with one of their nurse practitioners every afternoon. About 210 hours.

Not only did I become proficient in assessing diabetic patients and managing their care, the contacts I made in that rotation led to my first job out of school. Start calling outpatient diabetes clinics in your area. Check into hospitals in your area for inpatient glucose management teams that follow diabetic patients while they're in the hospital for a variety of reasons.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Endocrinology.
Hello everyone!

I have been a long time visitor to this site, but this is my first post. I am an RN who is working on her MSN through Capella university. I am specializing in diabetes. This program requires what is known as field experience, which is basically a specialized internship or clinical based on your specialization. It requires you to chose a practice site and a preceptor for your experience. I am looking for help finding someone to precept me. My first field experience class is focused on the pathophysiology of diabetes and assessment of patients with diabetes. My school requires that my preceptor be an RN or PA that have at least a masters degree. I would also really like to work with someone who has a CDE or a BC-ADM because I would like one of these certifications in the future. I currently live in the Southern California area. Any help everyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

FutureDiabetesRN

This is my 1st post on here, so i'm not sure i'm doing it right! I just want to suggest looking at any I.H.S. or tribal facilities in your area. I am a Diabetes research nurse in Oklahoma.

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Hello everyone!

I have been a long time visitor to this site, but this is my first post. I am an RN who is working on her MSN through Capella university. I am specializing in diabetes. This program requires what is known as field experience, which is basically a specialized internship or clinical based on your specialization. It requires you to chose a practice site and a preceptor for your experience. I am looking for help finding someone to precept me. My first field experience class is focused on the pathophysiology of diabetes and assessment of patients with diabetes. My school requires that my preceptor be an RN or PA that have at least a masters degree. I would also really like to work with someone who has a CDE or a BC-ADM because I would like one of these certifications in the future. I currently live in the Southern California area. Any help everyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

FutureDiabetesRN

Hello,

I'm interested in the MSN Dibetes Educator prog with Capella. I would appreciate any info you can give. Do you like the coursework? How about the instructors? Also, what are the requirements for the fieldwork. I read they want 500 hrs? This seems like a lot if a person works full time. Is it more of a clinical rotation? Thanks.

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I too was thinking about doing this program, please keep me posted on how it is going. What your thoughts are about the program. I am hoping that a masters in diabetes education will be equivalent to a cde in the job market to get started and also make a difference in salary. My research so far is not really showing a difference, so I am not sure that it will be worth the money spent for the program. Please any thoughts or comments welcomed!

Carlotta

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Dessertflower100,

I have really liked the coursework so far. The teachers were very helpful and the class content encourages you to learn and develop critical thinking skills. I have already learned so much! It also helps you develop skills in research. The classes I just finished were the intro class and my framework for nursing practice class which dealt mainly with nursing theories and their use in practice. Next semester I plan on taking ethics, diabetes pathophysiology and my first field experience course as long as I can find a preceptor. The field experience is divided into 100 hours a quarter. The quarters are 10 weeks long, so it works out to about 10 hours a week. I started out working full time, but I don't anymore, it is too much, I just didn't have any time. I plan to work registry so that I can keep my hours flexible. Let me know if you have anymore questions.

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sorry double post!

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Carlotta,

I also want to become a diabetes educator, but I found it impossible to get a job educating diabetic patients without some kind of poof of training in teaching patients with diabetes. This is why I have decided to get a masters degree. Also, having a masters degree in diabetes and experience doing diabetes education makes you eligible for the BC-ADM, which is considered a step above a CDE.

please feel free to ask any other questions you have.

FutureDiabetesRN

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