Diabetes and Diabetic Nurse Education and Practice

Diabetes Management Education

A primary role for nurses is that of a diabetes self-management educator who provides information to patients with pre-diabetes and diabetes in an effort to help patients make informed decisions about prevention and managing their condition. With a focus on helping people make lifestyle changes that contribute to improved health, the duties of a diabetes educator include:

• Working with patients to assess their needs and to develop a plan that includes educational interventions and self-management support strategies appropriate for the patient
• Providing education that helps the patient accomplish self-management goals
• Evaluating patients periodically to determine if they are meeting their goals or if they need other interventions and future reassessments
• Developing, with the cooperation of the patient, a personalized follow-up plan for ongoing self-management support
• Documenting the assessment and education plan, as well as interventions and outcomes
• Diabetes nurse educators provide services in hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, patients’ homes, and other settings. Advanced practice registered nurses typically serve under a primary specialization in their patient population focus, allowing them to further specialize as adult, gerontological, or pediatric diabetes educators.