Registered nurses are eligible for different types of certifications depending on the specialty one chooses. According to experts in the nursing field, certifications act as proof that a nurse has attained expert knowledge and training in a certain field. Research has shown that specialization by nurses often results in high rates of patient satisfaction, as well as increased efficiency of the healthcare delivery system due to a reduction in the rate of errors (Jornsay & Garnett, 2014). Some of the common nursing certifications include AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN), Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN), Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Management of Assaultive Behavior (MAB), and Diabetes Nurse Educator (DNE) among others. For anyone to receive any of these certifications, one must have worked for a period of not less than two years as a registered nurse (Jornsay & Garnett, 2014).
Diabetes Nurse Educator (DNE) is one of the common certifications that nurses seek to acquire. Diabetes is a polygenic disease characterized by abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood (Jornsay & Garnett, 2014). Over the years, diabetes has become an increasingly common healthcare challenge for nurses across the world. In order to manage the challenge in an effective manner, there has been a growing demand for diabetes nurse educators whose main responsibility is awareness creation with regard to the information on the required treatment and ways of accessing it (Jornsay & Garnett, 2014). They mainly offer their services in pharmacies, hospitals, and physician offices among other settings designed for the provision of healthcare services. Nurses who qualify for this certification must meet minimum requirements that include at least two years experience working as a registered nurse, 1000 hours of familiarity with diabetes self-management education, and 400 hours of education related to diabetes during the last twelve months before making a certification application among others (Jornsay & Garnett, 2014). In the United States, this certification is given through the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators.
References
Jornsay, D.L., & Garnett, E.D. (2014). Diabetes champions: Culture change through education. Diabetes Spectrum, 27(3), 188-192.