Whether you’re a hospital nurse, private-duty nurse, or an inactive nurse aiding for a sick loved one, keeping yourself aware of the new information and technology in Diabetes management can offer limitless benefits.
For one, you can take care of your diabetic patients better. Secondly, you can upgrade your skills and your resume, and finally, you can save lives.
These continuing education programs like diabetes CEUs for nurses are not limited to active practicing nurses only. Any nurse providing support to people who are suffering from diabetes has to take these courses.
What is diabetes management education?
Diabetes management support and education is a means of giving people who are taking care of patients with diabetes the tools necessary for them to implement diabetes care.
According to AADE or the American Association of Diabetes Educators, quality diabetes education involves education in seven primary areas:
- Healthy eating
- Regulated physical activities
- Monitoring of blood glucose.
- Administration of medicines
- Problem-solving
- Reduction of diabetes-associated risks
- Coping with the disease
If you are looking for a diabetes instructor or a company offering diabetes CEUs for nurses: take note that at least one of the educators heading the sessions should be a registered nurse, certified diabetes instructor, a pharmacist or dietitian with proper experience and training in diabetes education.
What questions should you ask your prospective diabetes educator?
Before you decide to enroll under a diabetes instructor, make sure to seek answers on these crucial questions first.
Ask for their credentials.
Specifically, check if they offer support programs and management education identified and recognized by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
This will help you ensure that your educators meet all the identified quality standards for diabetes education. For patients who have diabetes, self-management diabetes courses are also available. If they enroll under either ADA or AADE-recognized educators, they can file for Medicare reimbursements depending on their insurance plan coverage.
Do you have experience working with people suffering from diabetes?
The registered dietitian in the big grocery store downtown may not be a recognized and certified diabetes educator, but she can educate you about food labels. The most important thing you should know is whether or not your chosen diabetes educator is well-versed in different nutritional needs of patients who have diabetes.
You can ask any of the following queries:
- What diabetes training sessions have you attended within the past year?
- If you don’t have sure answers to diabetes-related questions, who do you ask?
These may be simple questions, but they can very well reflect the credibility and background of your chosen diabetes educator.
The truth about Continuing Education
Diabetes education is not something you can cram in a day-long session. Most people believe that if you have attended once, then that means you’re all good. Then again, just like technology and information, diabetes is also ever-evolving.
The information and management techniques you know now may be obsolete next year. If you want to provide better patient care, it’s essential to be abreast of all these changes.
Where can I find diabetes continuing education courses for nurses?
University Learning Systems will provide you with relevant, credible, and up-to-date diabetes education programs. Their website has all the necessary details like course fees, instructor, duration, objectives, and everything you need to know.