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The Role of a Diabetes Educator

Diabetes educators support clients in learning to self-manage their diabetes. Diabetes educators may be registered nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, physicians, mental health professionals, podiatrists, optometrists or exercise physiologists. Diabetes educators conduct comprehensive assessments of clients, assist the client in setting goals to change habits and improve health, and provide on-going education to support the client in developing a healthy lifestyle through individual and group training. Diabetes educators focus on seven core self-care behaviors: healthy eating, being active, monitoring, taking medication, problem solving, healthy coping and reducing risks.

  1. Healthy Eating

    • Diabetes educators teach clients appropriate portion sizes, meal planning and how to make healthier food choices to manage weight. Diabetes educators also teach how specific foods affect blood glucose levels. Some educators present cooking classes specifically to teach clients how to cook recipes that support healthy fat and carbohydrate levels.

    Being Active

    • Diabetes educators support clients in developing a plan to create a healthy lifestyle which includes regular physical activity. A consistent exercise routine supports weight loss, and healthy blood glucose levels and blood pressure. Exercise that is weight bearing or provides resistance is recommended to reduce stress, carbohydrate cravings and reduce insulin resistance.

    Monitoring

    • Clients with diabetes need to routinely monitor blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and weight. Information gathered from self-monitoring activities assists clients and diabetes educators in planning the appropriate quantities and timing of food, exercise and medications to maintain level blood-glucose levels.

    Taking Medication

    • Persons with diabetes often take medicine either orally or through injection. Diabetes educators work with clients to determine which medications are most effective for the individual as well as the appropriate timing of medication. Diabetes educators also support clients in evaluating drug interactions and side effects.

    Problem Solving

    • A critical component of the diabetes educator's role is to assist clients with addressing and overcoming barriers to their own self-care. Barriers may include the emotional impacts of dealing with a chronic disease including making major lifestyle changes and financial concerns regarding medical care and treatment. Diabetes educators collaborate with a client to develop a preventative plan for circumstances that may complicate their self-care, including illness, stress, scheduling and vacation or travel.

    Healthy Coping

    • When a person learns that she has a chronic disease like diabetes it may cause despair and difficulty in coping with the disease. Diabetes educators are charged with the challenge of helping the client handle the new reality. This is done through assessing the client's motivation to change, assisting the client in setting achievable health goals, and encouraging the client to develop a healthy support system.

    Reducing Risks

    • Persons with diabetes often have to make major lifestyle changes and learn to manage a wide variety of self-care tasks to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications. Diabetes educators assist clients with quitting smoking, conducting foot inspections, monitoring their blood pressure, monitoring blood glucose and maintaining personal health records.

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