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Working with a certified diabetes educator
One of the most valuable members of your diabetes care team is a certified diabetes educator, or CDE. These professionals can look at your situation in a nonjudgmental way and work with you to come up with solutions you feel comfortable with.
If you don't already work with a diabetes educator, your doctor should be able to recommend one.
What’s a CDE?
A certified diabetes educator (CDE) is a health care provider – nurse, dietitian, counselor, doctor, etc. – who teaches or cares for people with diabetes. CDEs work in clinics, hospitals and other health care settings.
To become certified, a diabetes educator must have…
- a degree in a health profession (such as registered nurse, physician, registered dietitian, pharmacist, social worker, etc.)
- at least two year’s experience in diabetes education
- successful completion of a comprehensive examination that covers physiology, drug treatment, blood glucose testing, complications, mental health issues and more
Every five years, CDEs go through a re-credentialing process. This ensures they keep their diabetes knowledge updated.
How can a CDE help me?
A certified diabetes educator (CDE) can help you in many ways. These examples may help you think of questions and problems that a diabetes educator can help you with.
- It seems like you don't always feel as well as you could. Since it's been awhile since you've taken a good look at your diabetes care plan, you feel a little embarrassed. You think you should know more about taking care of yourself than you really do.
- You've heard a lot about the insulin pump, but you're not sure it's right for you. You'd like to talk with someone who knows the pros and cons of the pump to see if it’s suitable for your lifestyle.
- You've had diabetes for a few years and know what kind of food you should and should not eat. But family members still question you whenever they see you eat, and it's making you angry. You'd like advice on how to respond.
- Your teenager has diabetes and took good care of herself until about a year ago. Now she’s rebelling. She isn’t testing her blood sugar or eating like she should be. Every time you try to talk to her about it, she gets angry. You would like to find someone your daughter would be willing to talk with about her diabetes.
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Allina Medical Clinic’s Diabetes Education Program Talking with your health care team
Source: American Diabetes Association
First published: 11/06/2001
Last updated: 01/18/2006
Reviewed by: Mary Frederick, RN, diabetes program manager, Allina Medical Clinic; Paul Kleeberg, MD, medical director, Allina.com
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