From Diabetes Educators to Diabetes Care and Education Specialists: Time for Change

A survey of 108 members of a local metropolitan AADE chapter was conducted to assess (1) current roles and responsibilities of diabetes educators with respect to medical management and patient education, and (2) the use of behavioral strategy techniques among diabetes educators. Nurses and dietitians specializing in diabetes care performed a range of responsibilities. Approximately 75% of the nurses performed standard patient education roles and 20% performed the majority of roles traditionally considered to be in the medical domain, including insulin adjustment. More than half of the respondents had not received formal training in the use of behavioral strategies. Formal training was positively associated with greater use of behavioral techniques. Training for diabetes educators should include behavioral intervention strategies. Nurses specializing in diabetes care may also need training regarding physical assessment for chronic complications, and knowledge regarding adjustment of insulin and oral hypoglycemic medications.

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Dr Thep Himathongkam: transforming diabetes treatment in Thailand

Strategy and Leadership ◽

10.1108/sl-04-2016-0021 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 40-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gayle C. Avery

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Care ◽

Management Problem ◽

Diabetes Treatment ◽

Foot Care ◽

Content Type ◽

University Courses ◽

Care Training ◽

Trained Staff ◽

Diabetes Educators ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose This interview discusses a “Blue Ocean” strategy initiative: how to introduce effective change in diabetes care into Thailand given a strong reluctance in patients, and in Thai society, to see that diabetes is not a condition to be treated by doctors alone. Design/methodology/approach An interview with Dr Thep Himathongkam, the pioneer of holistic diabetes care in Thailand. Findings One strategic management problem he faced was the lack of suitably trained staff. Thailand had no university courses producing the multidisciplinary personnel needed for diabetes treatment such as diabetes educators, dieticians, or foot care specialists. He address the multidisciplinary personnel shortage by training the missing specialists, getting universities on board and more recently securing funding from the World Diabetes Foundation. Practical implications The result of the diabetic foot-care training for more than 2,500 personnel, mostly from community hospitals, has been markedly successful, with a reduction in annual amputations in Thailand of 80 per cent over five years. Originality/value This interview offers a look at the multi-track problem solving required to successfully implement a Blue Ocean strategy.

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The Use of Language in Diabetes Care and Education

The Diabetes Educator ◽

10.1177/0145721717735535 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 43 (6) ◽

pp. 551-564 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Jane K. Dickinson ◽

Susan J. Guzman ◽

Melinda D. Maryniuk ◽

Catherine A. O’Brian ◽

Jane K. Kadohiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Diabetes Care ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

General Public ◽

American Diabetes Association ◽

American Association ◽

Task Force ◽

Strong Impact ◽

Research Questions ◽

Diabetes Educators

Language is powerful and can have a strong impact on perceptions as well as behavior. A task force, consisting of representatives from the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the American Diabetes Association, convened to discuss language in diabetes care and education. The literature supports the need for a language movement in diabetes care and education. There are effective ways of communicating about diabetes. This article provides recommendations for language used by health care professionals and others when discussing diabetes through spoken or written words, whether directed to people with diabetes, colleagues, or the general public, as well as research questions related to language and diabetes.

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The Challenge of Conducting Clinical Research in Diabetes Care and Education

The Diabetes Educator ◽

10.1177/014572179602200103 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 23-27 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

SUSAN RUSH MICHAEL ◽

CAROLYN E. SABO

Keyword(s):

Clinical Research ◽

Patient Outcomes ◽

Diabetes Care ◽

Education Programs ◽

Healthcare Environment ◽

Ideal Position ◽

Conducting Research ◽

Diabetes Educators ◽

Clinical Problems

The current healthcare environment requires diabetes educators to design their care and education programs around findings in scientific- and research-based literature. They must be confident that what they do makes a difference in terms of patient outcomes. Although diabetes educators recognize the importance of research as a basis for their practice, they often do not see themselves as responsible for participating in the process. Clinicians such as diabetes educators are in an ideal position to incorporate research into their practice because they are the most knowledgeable about the clinical problems that need to be solved. The challenges of conducting clinical research will be explored in this article along with ways to promote greater participation of diabetes educators in conducting research in their practices.

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Perceptions and Practices of Diabetes Educators in Providing Oral Health Care: A Qualitative Study

The Diabetes Educator ◽

10.1177/0145721718796055 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 44 (5) ◽

pp. 454-464 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Prakash Poudel ◽

Rhonda Griffiths ◽

Vincent W. Wong ◽

Amit Arora ◽

Jeff R. Flack ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Oral Health ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Diabetes Care ◽

Oral Health Care ◽

Team Approach ◽

Care Providers ◽

Suggested Model ◽

Diabetes Educators

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the current perceptions and practices of diabetes educators (DEs) in providing oral health care to people with diabetes. Methods A qualitative study design involving focus groups was used to gather data. Purposive sampling was used to recruit DEs working across 3 metropolitan hospitals in South Western Sydney, Australia. Results Fourteen DEs participated in 3 focus groups. Participants had a mean ± SD age of 44.4 ± 9.2 years and 5.2 ± 5.3 years of work experience in diabetes care. Four main themes were identified: perceptions about oral health care and diabetes current oral health care practices, perceptions on incorporating oral health, and suggested model of care. DEs agreed that promoting oral health in diabetes clinics is important, and they reported seeing patients frequently with oral health problems. However, the majority do not include oral health care in consultations, primarily because they have limited knowledge in this area and have not received any formal oral health education or training. Additional barriers were the lack of referral pathways and resources for patient education. DEs were receptive to incorporating oral health provided that the current barriers were addressed. DEs also suggested a multidisciplinary team care approach to promote oral health. Conclusions Current practices of DEs in oral health care are limited, but they are willing to address oral health. A suggested model of oral health care should include capacity building of diabetes care providers, appropriate dental referral pathways, and a team approach within multidisciplinary diabetes care.

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DIABETES EDUCATORS: PARTNERS IN DIABETES CARE AND MANAGEMENT

Endocrine Practice ◽

10.4158/ep.12.s1.138 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 12 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 138-141 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Mary M. Austin

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Care ◽

Diabetes Educators

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Certified Diabetes Educator: An Important Aid in Improving Patient Care in Diabetes

Journal of Social Health and Diabetes ◽

10.1055/s-0039-1683464 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 07 (01) ◽

pp. 003-005

Author(s):

Ameya Joshi ◽

R. D. Sana N. Shaikh

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Chronic Disease ◽

Patient Care ◽

Diabetes Care ◽

Current Status ◽

Paramedical Personnel ◽

Diabetes Educator ◽

Improving Patient Care ◽

Diabetes Educators

AbstractDiabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which education plays a vital part. However, in India that is overburdened with diabetes has short of diabetes educators. Care for diabetes is limited by the adverse physician-to-patient ratio and lack of trained paramedical personnel. The following review focuses on role of diabetes educators in diabetes care and their current status in India.

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Into the Heart of Darkness: Reflections on Racism and Diabetes Care and The Healing Process: Reflections on African American History and Diabetes Care

The Diabetes Educator ◽

10.1177/014572179802400604 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 689-692 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Robert M. Anderson ◽

Kimberlydawn Wisdom

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Annual Meeting ◽

Diabetes Care ◽

American Association ◽

Healing Process ◽

African American History ◽

General Session ◽

Heart Of Darkness ◽

25Th Annual Meeting ◽

Diabetes Educators

These essays were adapted from a General Session presentation at the 25th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators on August 22, 1998 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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A survey on critical health competences among diabetes educators using the Critical Health Competence Test (CHC Test)

BMC Medical Education ◽

10.1186/s12909-021-02519-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lars Hecht ◽

Gabriele Meyer ◽

Anke Steckelberg

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Care ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

School Education ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Major Barrier ◽

Diabetes Educators

Abstract Background Diabetes associations claim to have a patient-centered approach in diabetes care including shared decision-making (SDM). Diabetes educators are important healthcare professionals for implementing the concept of informed SDM in diabetes care. They need critical health competences (CHC) in order to provide evidence-based information and to support patients in understanding the risks of the disease and also the possible benefits or harm of the healthcare options. Therefore, we surveyed the CHC of diabetes educators. Methods We performed a cross-sectional survey using the validated Critical Health Competences (CHC) Test to measure CHC of certified diabetes educators and trainees in Germany. Diabetes educators were approached via newsletter, mailing lists or in person during the conference of the German Diabetes Association. Trainees were approached during their training sessions. We applied scenario 1 of the CHC test, which comprises 17 items with open-ended and multiple-choice questions. Mean person parameters with a range from 0 to 1000 were calculated to assess the levels of critical health competences and a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine correlations between sociodemographic variables and levels of CHC. Results A total of 325 participants, mean age 38.6 (±11.1) years, completed the CHC test; n = 174 (55.5%) were certified diabetes educators and n = 151 (46.5%) were trainees. The participants achieved a mean score of 409.84 person parameters (±88.10) (scale from 0 to 1000). A statistically significant association was found only between the level of education and the level of CHC (b = 0.221; p-value 0.002). Participants with grammar school education achieved higher mean scores compared to participants with secondary school education (432.88 ± 77.72 vs. 396.45 ± 85.95; mean difference 36.42 ± 9.29; 95%CI 18.15 to 54.71; p < 0.0001). Conclusion Diabetes educators achieved low competence scores and it can be assumed that they do not have sufficient CHC to conduct consultations based on the SDM principles. Poor CHC among healthcare providers are a major barrier for the implementation of SDM. Core concepts of evidence-based medicine should be implemented into the curricula for diabetes educators in order to increase their levels of CHC.

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