Becoming a Diabetes Educator!

[@Gemstone37]

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes earlier this year, and have thoroughly enjoyed watching your videos! It is wonderful to connect with the community and realise that you are not alone in this journey. My diabetes educators were a wonderful support. I also happen to be studying to become a dietitian in Australia! I had no idea that this degree could potentially lead towards becoming a Diabetes Educator too (I checked - this works in Aus too!) Thank you so much for making this video, I now have a new career goal. Much love xx

[@pinkieme73]

CONGRATS!!! So excited for your new journey. Us D mom's need more people like you in the medical field. You have helped me with choosing the right pump for my daughter to how to insert a Dexcom. Please keep making the videos and congratulations again.

[@Nothingbutblessings4185]

Very informative. This is exactly what I want to do. I really dont want to be a "in hospital nurse" but I do want to be more of a nurse that will sit with a patient that will educate them on meds, lifestyle etc. Thanks so much

[@SerbearandAnny]

I LOVE U DANICA THANK YOU FOR THE FELLOW DIABETIC SUPPORT!!

[@ChiiChiilover]

Thank you for this video. I am living with type 1 diabetes and finished my diabetes management course recently. I am working as an RN in Australia and waiting a chance to be a diabetes educator soon. Although we are living in different coutry, it was informative.

[@KaliElaine]

hey glad you made the video. I am also in my last semester of nursing school. I also am working towards becoming a Certified Diabetes Educator also for adults. I too realize that it is a long road to do so, I actually ran into an educator and she gave me some tips. she told me to start by coming to the monthly diabetes liaison meetings at the hospital. then what usually happens is you find somebody to sponsor you hours, who is willing to take you under there wing and show you the ropes building up those hours. So I know it will be a long road but this is what I want to do too! I

[@Princess97895]

I love it. I took the dietitian route. The first thing people ask me is what to eat. I see a lot of kidney patients and multiple disease issues. I work in an endo office and you really do learn a lot. I can say just working with an endocrinologist is amazing because there are so many complexed disorders to understand.

[@elizabethanne6361]

Congratulations!! You will make a great nurse and educator!!

[@bitrswtcookie99]

Congrats Danica!! You will make an awesome nurse and diabetes educator 😄

[@AnnaKiffFatCatAnna]

That is awesome!! As a mentor (no brains or time to go back to school but just 50 years of T1D) ... a good CDE ... who is also a diabetic themselves ... helps patients. I have many diabetics coming to me who can't get the right answers from their medical practitioner or a CDE who doesn't really get how all of us are different with our method of control.

[@haleyreno-wright1052]

Thank you so much for this video! I've been T1 for four years and am alomst seventeen. One thing that came out of this disease is it gave me a career I want to have. By the way I'm currently on the dexcom trial and trying to get one of my own and when I went to get hooked up, the nurse and I talked about your videos and how awesome you are! :)

[@miac799]

I feel like I'm so much like you. I'm only in middle school but since I've got diabetes I've wanted to be a diabetes educator! I also LOVE kids so much! This helped me so much! Thank you!

[@alyssalin1847]

I am a type 1 diabetic and have wanted to be a dietician, I've recently been thinking about being a diabetes educator. Thank you so much for this information!

[@irlwilliams]

Congratulation Nurse Danica and best wishes on your journey to become a CDE.

[@kellygeorge7464]

It would have been amazing to have a nurse that was T1 diabetic when my daughter was diagnosed. Most of the nurses had no clue about what we were going through

[@tammymadiou8240]

Hi !- Thank you for this video. I'm 57 years old, lol, and have been an RN since 2002. I've worked in several different settings, but the bulk of my career has been in the clinical setting. I can't begin to tell you how many of my patients have diabetes. I myself am type 1 since childhood. My question to you is - does any of my experience with teaching/helping those patients throughout my work experience count as official work hours towards applying for the Certification?

[@motherof1doll.]

It’s great to understand other medical issues because diabetes raises the risk of other illnesses. So usually there ARE other issues going on if someone hasn’t had a great understanding of their own diabetes for a while. It’s amazing to watch diseases reverse as people start to understand the role of insulin and how hormones like insulin make certain things happen in the body. It’s so neat when you see knowledge become power in yourself and the people you are able to help. 😎

[@edaj1990]

So excited for you Danica! I'm still just trying to get into the RN program at my school 😑😑😑 I still have 3 more prerequisites to do. I know nursing is what I really want to do though, so it's worth it.

[@bitrswtcookie99]

Hang in there girl, I'm trying too

[@jecknep661]

Glad to know you hear I’m also a Diabetes educator

[@RyanHealthAndVlogs]

In Australia we do it slightly different. We dont need to sit an exam, instead we need to study a post graduate degree in diabetes education and management for probably about a year. A part from that everything is the same like 1,000 hours, CPD hours, and post RN registration experience of about 1-2 years. We call diabetes educators who are certified as credentialled. Prior to credentialling we also need to find a mentor a CDE to mentor those wanting to be credentialled for a minimum of 6 months. Those who are not credentialled can land a job as a diabetes educator but they need to show that they are working towards being credentialled also their pay is slightly lower compared to the CDEs. We renew our registration or credentialling every year. It used to be every 3 years. By the way the hours needed used to be 4,000 but few years ago they have reduced it to 1,000. Physios, dietitians, exercise physios, podiatrists, RNs and physicians can be CDEs in Ausralia.

[@haimhavkin8579]

Hi dear, Show them your 10,000 subscribers. that should give you the diabetes education hours you need toward certification.

[@buddyl92]

congrats.........you will be great !!

[@kaylasisco330]

Congrats! Best of luck :)

[@MAnnytteGirard]

I am listening to your story for my college online with AIU. You are a beautiful lady. Thank you for this information. I hope you're well and wish you luck in all your endeavors. Take care and blessings Friend

[@anniestearns5113]

Maybe you could try getting a job at a sleep away diabetes camp.. You could either be a counselor or a nurse/educator. I know staff at my camp who are nurses working as counselors and also nurses working as nurses. It is an environment where you are surrounded by kids w T1D and maybe you don't have to be a CDE to just do diabetes education in a camp setting.. Just a thought! Can't wait to see where this journey takes you!

[@VampiresBulloch]

Congratulations!

[@temi-twistedzones]

So I know what I'm looking at in my future. Now question is this: if you do all these things also being a diabetic with practical hands on education (15 years) does it make it easier? Yes I've had 15 years as a Diabetic plus in that time educating people on their Diabetes. Tyvm Hugs

[@SandraDLewis]

Thank you so much for this information

[@ninaandianfan21]

you should ask if they would accept making these videos as educating people about diabetes... cause that's what you're doing :)

[@michellenr]

Thanks

[@spottylill]

I have type 1 and am an educator too :).

[@maryfreeman6230]

Congratulations on the job yay

[@leshaebrown71]

How are you Danica. Have you found any classes to be a great learning aide to be a diabetic educator. Thanks

[@YahuahElohim]

I womder if my position as a nurse to three students in a school would count?

[@barryhughes1231]

Awesome Work!!

[@alisayhey]

Hi! Just wanted to check and see if you were still with your peds floor nursing job and if you were able to get any DSME hours doing this? If so how are you documenting? I graduate nursing school in May with the end goal of becoming a CDE, and am applying to floor nursing jobs now. Also are you a member of the AADE and is this helpful? Thanks so much, I hope to hear back because I really don't know anyone else who is going through this process so close after graduation and your response would be truly helpful. Thank you!

[@carolinesmith6029]

YAY!! Congrats!! 😘

[@thehelloamnd]

I'd really like to go about the Dietitian way but I dont know where to start 😑

[@tracyshelton5599]

Did you take the inclex

[@tintumathew1814]

Hi,l am nurse working in u.k with diploma in general nursing and midwifery course passed from lndia.How can l become a diabetic nse.

[@Idellle]

Hm..I don't think we even have a diabetes educator education in Finland. Never heard of it before. One way is to study nursing or a midwife and then take a extra course in university, it takes 11 month. It cost money also but not that bad. Then you are a diabetes nurse. Saw on the Finnish diabetes association that they have courses about diabetes for people in the health field and for people that have diabetes and for those who just want some information.

[@muthulakshmimuthulakshmi9913]

Whats the best institute for CDE mam for online education?

[@angelasanchez481]

Congrats 😃

[@tracyshelton5599]

Ive wanted to Diabetes Education and go speak to people, i have had diabetes, for 14

[@HezamsLife]

How long did it take for you to become a diabetes educator 👩‍🏫? I been thinking about it

[@sophiep.1878]

Hi Danica!! I just wanted to ask if you wear a medical ID necklace, or even any necklace or jewelry to let people know about diabetes in case of emergency. I'm wondering if I should get one, or if I'm just being paranoid. Thanks! (Ps congrats)

[@onepawatatime7925]

Hi Danica I have a question for you. I am 14 years old and I think I may have type 1 but I am not sure. I know what your going to say but I figured I'd ask so here goes. For the past couple months I have been really thirsty and have to go to the bathroom a lot. I probably drink any were from 10 to 15 bottles of water a day (20 oz) and I have to go to the bathroom like 30 minutes to a hour later and I usually get up in the middle of the night once or twice to go to the bathroom. I am usually more thirsty at night but sometimes the thirst will completely go away for like two hours. I've looked up the symptoms before and it keeps coming up with type 1 diabetes. I told my mom a while ago that I have been really thirsty lately and she just put it off as the house being dry. I am really worried. I found your channel when I was researching type 1 and it has been very helpful. How do I get my mom to take me seriously. I really want to find out if I have diabetes I'm starting to get nervous. I also have many of the other symptoms like my cuts they heal super slow. It used to take about a week and now it takes about a month and they leave scars. I feel tired a lot no matter how early I go to bed. And I'm constantly hungry. I am a vegetarian and know matter how much protein I consume I am still hungry. I often go to bed with my stomach growling. In addition the that I will get randomly nausea and my vision will sometimes blur out for about 5 minutes. What also consurnes me is that being a vegetarian I consume more fruit and a lot of the fruits I like have a high water content so I really shouldn't be drinking this much water because I don't eat that many dry foods. I am scared that something is going to happen to me. Please tell me that I'm being a hypochondriac if not please tell me how to get my moms attention and take me seriously. I am 14 year old girl. I know your not a doctor but you seem to know a lot. You are my last resort I am desperate I am so sick of this thirst and bathrooms. I can't go a two hour car ride without having to go to the bathroom and meals without three bottles of water. Thanks I understand if you can't help or don't want to.

[@onepawatatime7925]

I also have many of the other symptoms like my cuts they heal super slow. It used to take about a week and now it takes about a month and they leave scars. I feel tired a lot no matter how early I go to bed. And I'm constantly hungry. I am a vegetarian and know matter how much protein I consume I am still hungry. I often go to bed with my stomach growling. In addition the that I will get randomly nausea and my vision will sometimes blur out for about 5 minutes. What also consurnes me is that being a vegetarian I consume more fruit and a lot of the fruits I like have a high water content so I really shouldn't be drinking this much water because I don't eat that many dry foods. I am scared that something is going to happen to me. Please tell me that I'm being a hypochondriac if not please tell me how to get my moms attention and take me seriously. I am 14 year old girl. I know your not a doctor but you seem to know a lot. You are my last resort I am desperate I am so sick of this thirst and bathrooms. I can't go a two hour car ride without having to go to the bathroom and meals without three bottles of water. Thanks I understand if you can't help or don't want to.

[@kaecharie]

I know you didn't ask me, but as a nurse (who has hypoglycemia, type 1 fiance and extensive experience with diabetes), I would say you should see your doctor. While those are classic signs of diabetes, they could also be signs and symptoms of other underlying issues that need attention. I hope the issues are nothing, but if they are indeed something that requires attention, I wish you the best!

[@hannahclingan]

do you know if i get a masters in public health as my major that i can become a CDE?

[@charlieschneider7557]

I have a question for everyone I am a 14 year old girl who is not diabetic. I want to be a pediatric diabetes educator, a endocrinologist, or a diabetition would any of you guys actually get treatment from a non diabetic?

[@happyraindrop28]

I live in the UK and we don't have a job title for a diabetes educator as far as I know I start dietetics in September and hope to go into working we paediatric diabetics, but it's not quite as easy so I will have to see

[@Selenelaszlobjj]

I'm considering becoming a diabetes educator too but I want to go the Dietician Route because I could also work with dancers.

[@kerri-annbest6571]

Hello DiabeticDanica All the best in your career goals :) I wanted to know, what books/resources you would recommend to best study for the CDE exam. I would like to become a CDE someday :)

[@sarahbrashear3795]

How did you record your 1000 hours?

[@secondyaya]

Bravo!!!

[@Red_Bishi]

wow, thats crazy. Here in Australia, we have to do 2 years of clinical experience as a nurse or a dietitian, then we can apply for the course that is only available online. its a year course and at the end, there is a 2-week placement at a hospital. it's so stressful being a nurse atm cause again, here in the AUS a lot of jobs require you to have an experience like you said and the only way a new nurse can get a job is to do a grad year. not too sure if you have that in the USA. it's basically a year after you graduate where you work in a hospital and then you basically have the job and stuff.

[@ninaandianfan21]

oh I loved this room :( but the new one will be good too :P

[@acebatonfan7111]

Congrats! Too bad you can't list "I manage my diabetes" as a way to achieve the 1000 hours (I'm also working on my nursing degree and plan on pursuing a CDE license). When T1 diabetes is a 24/7/365 illness, it would have been a breeze to get those 1000 hours in.

[@kenzierexford7763]

Will you make another day in the life

[@charlottec.3423]

Yes please!!

[@EmilyA1984]

But Danica, aren't you getting experience in diabetes education by doing this channel?

[@aileenortega1794]

Wow, eye opening. These catch 22 situations ----- like no credit for being diabetic 24/7/365? What about your videos & twitter & facebook. Is that not diabetes educating? No credit for that? Idiotic. So, basically 1,000 hours of slave labor (because no one is going to hire a diabetes educator that's not a certified diabetes educator). Ugggghhhh.

[@tiffanyfleenor]

:)