The certified diabetes educator certification in nursing honors excellence in diabetes education and offers public recognition of the specialized skills and expertise that this highly exacting area of nursing involves. Because of the growing epidemic of obesity, which often leads to diabetes, this field is expected to make up a bigger part of the nursing school curriculum in the near future.
Qualifying for CDE Certification
In order to qualify to take the certified diabetes educator exam, the applicant must have a current and unrestricted license to practice professionally in one of the following areas: registered nurse, pharmacist, occupational therapist, clinical psychologist, optometrist, physician, podiatrist, registered clinical exercise physiologist (minimum of a master’s degree), registered dietitian, physical therapist, registered physician assistant or a master’s degree in social work that is recognized by an accrediting body. The applicant must also have a minimum of two calendar years of practice within the last five years and the total hours must account to 1,000. He/she must currently practice as a diabetes educator a minimum of four hours per week. The practice hours must have accrued since he/she obtained license or degree and the experience must have been in the United States or its equivalent.
The exam is administered at testing centers across the country on a designated schedule. The certified diabetes educator exam consists of two hundred test questions, twenty-five of which are non-scored items which are being tested and validated for possible use in future versions of the exam. A score of 70 scaled score units is required for passage of the exam.
The Certified Diabetes Educator credentials are good for a period of five years.Renewal of the credential requires that the professional earn continuing education units.
The candidate handbook, which is available free of charge from the credentialing website, contains eligibility requirements, applications, and sample questions. Also included is a suggested reading list and an outline of the potential test content. The applicant should consult the handbook frequently throughout the credentialing process and use it as a resource to direct study.
The certified diabetes educator exam recognizes the unique body of knowledge that certified diabetes educators possess and acknowledges the special skills involved in caring for this complex patient population. The credentialing process instills a sense of pride in the practitioner and imparts a sense of trust among other professionals and the community regarding the skills of the diabetes educator.