Diabetes educators may be nurses or other healthcare professionals who have expertise related to diabetes and are experienced in working with people with diabetes. A diabetes educator will help patients understand all the things they can do in their daily lives to help manage their disease – such as exercise, nutrition, medications, and blood glucose monitoring.
What is a diabetes educator?
Diabetes educators may be nurses or other health care professionals who have expertise related to diabetes and are experienced in working with people with diabetes. They will keep up to date with the latest discoveries and breakthroughs related to diabetes.
Diabetes educators will help patients understand all the factors in their daily lives related to diabetes that can help with diabetes management, such as exercise, nutrition, medications, and blood glucose monitoring. They can also work with family members to better understand the patient’s needs and provide support.
Does diabetes education really work?
Yes, education does work.
For example, it can help maintain good blood sugar levels. Some studies have shown that diabetes education can reduce the risk of developing complications such as nerve and kidney damage, which can help avoid treatments such as dialysis and thus improve quality of life. Knowing what’s going on with your body also helps to better manage your health.
In a study of more than 1200 patients, patients had four 30-minute one-on-one counseling sessions with a diabetes educator, and the results were excellent. In the study, patients learned about key self-care strategies in diabetes, such as:
- Healthy eating;
- Exercise;
- Medication;
- Self-monitoring;
- Stress relief;
- Addressing underlying problems.
They also have the opportunity to participate in group discussions.
After 15 months, patients’ HbA1c levels (blood sugar over the 3-month period) had decreased by an average of 67%, and LDL, or harmful cholesterol, had decreased by 53%. Before the study, about 1/3 of the patients had hypertension, and after the study, only 1/4 of the patients still had hypertension.
Referral
The American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics created a guideline that recommends meeting with a diabetes educator once a year, as well as with the following:
- When the diagnosis is first established;
- When a new problem arises that may affect the patient’s control of diabetes;
- When there is a change in the health care plan.