Hello everyone!
As of February 17th, I am officially a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (formally known as Certified Diabetes Educator)!
While this is very exciting, I realize a lot of people probably don't know what this means! In this article I will break down this certification and what it means for you as my client.
What is a CDCES?
A CDCES stands for Certified Diabetes Care and Eduction Specialist. This is the new name for this credential. Until last year it was known as Certified Diabetes Educator. With this certification I am capable of teaching clients how to administer their diabetes and related medication as well as how to optimize both their nutrition and medication regimen to best improve their blood sugars.
What does this credential mean?
In order to qualify to register for the CDCES exam, I needed 2+ years of professional experience in my field and 1000+ documented hours of diabetes education within the last 5 years. I sat for the exam earlier this week, where I was tested for comprehension of the following topics:
Every class of diabetes medication, their side effects, contraindications, and cost
Insulin administration (how to both store and administer different kinds of insulin and injectable medications)
How to best optimize a patient's medication regimen to improve blood sugar control
How to best counsel clients to assist in goal accomplishment and blood sugar management
The guidelines and medications for the following specific populations: Pediatrics, Gestational Diabetes (GDM), Adults, and Older Adults
And I didn't just learn about Diabetes! I also learned about commonly associated comorbidities and how to best manage them based on ADA (American Diabetes Association) and AADE (American Association of Diabetes Educators) guidelines. This includes the following conditions:
High Blood Pressure (HTN)
Hyperlipidemia / High Cholesterol (HLD)
Kidney Disease
Gestational Diabetes
Prediabetes
Post-Transplant Related Diabetes
Cardiovascular Disease
Neuropathy
Retinopathy
High Triglycerides
What does this mean for my clients?
Now that I have this credential, what does this mean for you as my clients? It means that in addition to nutrition management, I am now qualified to assist you with medication management for the many associated conditions listed above. While this specialty certification is for Diabetes, in preparing for this exam I have learned so much about medications and dietary interventions for patients with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Diabetes in pregnancy, and so much more. Therefore, regardless of your reason for coming to see me, I am now even better equipped to help address your needs.
Additional resources with more information
To learn more about the CDCES Credential, check out the two links below with more information:
