Do you ever hear from a patient that they have had some previous diabetes education, and then realize that it was a haphazard event? They may have been given a hand out, or had a quick lesson about what not to eat? Have you ever had a patient tell you the “diabetes nurse” at the doctor’s office taught them how to inject insulin? When you know there is no certified diabetes educator at that location?
Remember, structured diabetes education has better outcomes than on-the-fly education. We can all be glad that we’re willing to study the ADA and AADE guides for curriculum and know how to offer a patient a structured education plan.
According to the American Diabetes Association,
Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is a critical element of care for all people with diabetes and is necessary in order to improve patient outcomes.
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/31/Supplement_1/S97.fu