The Scope of Practice of Diabetes Educators in the State of Georgia

Abstract

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the scope of practice trends of diabetes educators in the state of Georgia. METHODS The Diabetes Educator Responsibilities Questionnaire (DERQ) was sent to 221 members of the American Association of Diabetes Educators listed in the 1995 membership directory in Georgia. Of the 221 members, 97 returned completed questionnaires. This population of healthcare professionals comprised the sample population. RESULTS In assessing the primary responsibilities of the sample, more than 50% of the respondents performed six of the nine educator roles. Less than 50% of the respondents indicated that they "Always" or "Frequently" used behavior modification strategies in teaching people with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS The questionnaire used in this study should be expanded to elicit more detailed information regarding decisions to use or not use behavior modification techniques in diabetes education.