CHICAGO – Aug 24, 2020 – The Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES) released an update to the competencies for diabetes care and education specialists, adapting the core set of knowledge, skills and abilities for the specialty to meet the current and projected needs of an evolving practice and landscape. The competences are intended to encourage the specialist to work at the highest level of their licensure and provide a self-assessment to determine education needs for career and professional advancement.
“The competencies are the foundational master list which will guide the specialty and drive quality care. With the recent retitling of the specialty, rebranding of the association and creation of a new strategic vision, it was appropriate to update and align the competencies with practice,” said Kellie Antinori-Lent, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, BC-ADM, CDCES, FADCES, 2020 president of ADCES. “As we continue to expand and enhance our role as part of the interprofessional diabetes care team, the competencies serve as a roadmap for continual quality improvement and advancement within diabetes care.”
A collaborative team of interprofessional stakeholders developed the competencies through an in-depth literature review, quantitative research and a modified Delphi study to gather consensus from a wider group of experts.
The revisions were developed to better align with the ADCES vision for the specialty, utilizing language that is person-centered and free from judgement, and recognizing the role of the diabetes care and education specialist as part of the interprofessional team. The authors proactively added competencies essential to the changing demands of stakeholders and streamlined guidance for the diabetes care and education specialist through six domains.
The six domains are:
- Clinical Management Practice and Integration
- Communication and Advocacy
- Person-Centered Care and Counseling Across the Life Span
- Research and Quality Improvement
- Systems-Based Practice
- Professional Practice
The competencies for diabetes care and education specialists will publish in the August issue of The Diabetes Educator. For a copy of the report and additional resources, visit DiabetesEducator.org/Competencies.
About the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists: ADCES is an interdisciplinary professional membership organization dedicated to improving prediabetes, diabetes and cardiometabolic care through innovative education, management and support. With more than 12,000 professional members including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists and others, ADCES has a vast network of practitioners working to optimize care and reduce complications. ADCES offers an integrated care model that lowers the cost of care, improves experiences and helps its members lead so better outcomes follow. Learn more at DiabetesEducator.org, or visit us on Facebook or LinkedIn (Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists), Twitter (@ADCESdiabetes) and Instagram (@ADCESdiabetes).
