Diabetic nurses educate patients and families on diabetes care and management.
Diabetic nurses, often referred to as diabetes nurse educators, fill a key role in the lives of patients with diabetes and their families or caregivers. Diabetic nurses provide diabetes education and support to people who have been diagnosed with diabetes or have been identified as pre-diabetic. Diabetic nurses work in hospitals, doctor's offices and community health clinics.
Significance
Nearly 24 million people in the United States live with diabetes each year. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearing House medical expenditures for people with diabetes was $85.7 billion in 1992. Diabetic nurses provide critical educational interventions to improved diabetes self-care in patients and reduce the impact of the illness on the individual's quality of life and reduce the medical costs associated with untreated diabetes.
Scope of Work
Diabetic nurses complete assessments of their patient's understanding of their diagnosis, symptoms and treatment as well as their ability to care for their own medical needs. Diabetic nurses provide individual and group education on topics including diet, exercise, symptoms, medication and lifestyle changes. Diabetic nurses may also facilitate diabetes support groups.
Requirements for Employment
The position of diabetic nurse is considered a professional specialty. Diabetic nurses are generally required to have at least two years nursing experience working with patients with diabetes as a registered nurse. Employers may prefer that the diabetic nurse educator have a M.S.N (Master of Science, Nursing) degree and be a Certified Diabetic Educator.
Benefits
In addition to providing expert treatment and services to patients, diabetic nurses have the opportunity to work in the community providing education and training to families, caregivers and other medical professionals. Because of their specialized training and skills, diabetic nurses earn between $58,000 and $71,000 per year.
Certification
Becoming a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) provides additional opportunities for employment and increased salary. Certification may be obtained through the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE). Certification requires a minimum of two years experience, documentation of diabetes education hours and passing a national exam.
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