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AADE president encourages involvement, recruitment, promotion
ORLANDO — In order to strengthen the position of diabetes educators throughout the country, the president of the American Association of Diabetes Educators called for attendees to increase their involvement in the association, recruit new diabetes educators and promote the value of their role in diabetes management.
“You are working to convince state health care decision makers that diabetes education is a right, not a luxury,” Joan Bardsley, MBA, RN, CDE, FAADE, current president of AADE, said in her opening address to the annual meeting. “When we work together, we can accomplish so much more. ... It’s by working together, side by side, that we become better practitioners. It is also how we realize our potential and gain critical leadership skills that take us to the next level.”
Joan Bardsley
Bardsley detailed how AADE is working toward elevating the role of the diabetes educator within a health care system that is “in a constant state of flux.” She pointed to the recent reports of diabetes’ 3-million-person increase as a “motivator” to show that the work of the diabetes educator is “as important as ever.”
“As clinicians, we generally work at the micro level, helping our patients and their families adjust to their diabetes and acquire the skills they need to thrive and be healthy. We often don’t think about that bigger picture, but we must think about it,” Bardsley said. “We need to track our outcomes, prepare our economic data and share it widely. We need to tell our story, our patients’ stories. We need to step out of our comfort zones, advocate for our patients’ interests at all levels in all arenas where decisions about their care are being made. We need to be leaders in these conversations.”
Specifically, Bardsley called for licensure of diabetes educators, pursuit of advanced credentials and a continuation of the national campaign launched by AADE to promote the value of the diabetes educator.
“We all need to become leaders in advancing this profession,” Bardsley said.
For more information: Bardsley J. GS01. Presented at: The American Association of Diabetes Educators Annual Meeting 2014; August 6-9, 2014; Orlando, Fla.
Disclosure: Bardsley reported no relevant financial relationships.