SIAST - Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals

Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals

Location(s): Distance Learning Option

More than three million Canadians live with diabetes. It is estimated another six million live with pre-diabetes and nearly 50 percent of those will go on to develop Type 2 diabetes. The message? Diabetes education has never been more important than it is today.

SIAST developed the Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals program in direct response to growing need in our communities. This advanced certificate program provides the knowledge, judgement, skills and attitudes you need to meet the health care needs of people living with diabetes.

Through a combination of theory, lab and clinical practice education, you’ll learn to practice in accordance with the Primary Health Care Model and the Canadian Diabetes Association clinical practice guidelines, and learn how to use primary prevention strategies and the population health approach to disease prevention.

Who qualifies?

Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals is specifically designed for current health care professionals, including:

registered nurses

licensed practical nurses

registered psychiatric nurses

dietitians

pharmacists

advanced care paramedics

nutritionists

recreation/exercise specialists

Is this program for you?

The Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals program offers flexible start times, course sequencing and choice of clinical experience, so you can complete the program on a part-time basis within a five-year time frame. This allows you to build your professional credentials while maintaining job and/or family responsibilities.

The program focuses on understanding and managing diabetes, including prevention, treatment, nutrition management, activity management and complications. You will enhance your skills as an educator by exploring approaches to adult learning, and will address issues related to cultural diversity. Hands-on learning is an important component of the program. You’ll practice new skills in a 12-hour lab and a 60-hour clinical practice education in a workplace setting.

Refer to Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.

Length: 15 weeks per course

You must complete the program within five years

Career Opportunities

The Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals program is specifically designed to meet the needs of current health care providers – registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, advanced care paramedics, nutritionists and recreation/exercise specialists. You will be prepared to provide consistent, current and accurate information about diabetes prevention, education and care in a wide variety of health settings across Saskatchewan and Canada.

For more information about career opportunities related to this program, contact Student Employment Services at the SIAST campus nearest you.

Program Details

Start Date(s): Ongoing

For more information, contact diabetesed@siast.sk.ca.

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Admission Requirements

Registration/licensure with an appropriate professional body (i.e., SRNA, SALPN or pharmacists) in the province where your clinical experience will occur

Currently employed in the health care sector

English Language Requirement

Note

You will need to have current immunizations according to the Regional Health Authority where your clinical experience will take place.

Admission Method

First Qualified/First Admitted

The First Qualified/First Admitted (FQFA) process is used for the majority of SIAST programs. When we determine that you meet the program's admission requirements, you will be offered admission based on the date you fully qualify for the program. The earlier you provide the appropriate documents and information that qualify you for admission to the next intake, the earlier you might begin your studies. Your application, once qualified, is always considered for the next intake.

Applicants to programs with multiple intakes in an academic year remain in the application pool until the last intake for that academic year has begun. Programs using the FQFA process receive applications year round and maintain an application pool for each academic year. Qualified applicants who are not offered a seat must reapply for the next academic year.

Sponsored programs or programs targeted to specific groups do not accept applications year round or maintain an application pool.

Tuition and Fees

For complete details on tuition and fees for this program, click here to access the SIAST campus Tuition and Fee Schedules.

Learning Method(s)

SIAST offers a variety of learning methods for course delivery. The following learning methods are available for some of the courses in this program.

Home Study

Online

Shop/Lab

Work Experience

Please refer to the course descriptions for course specific learning methods.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) Availability

SIAST recognizes that adults learn in many different ways and through many different means. This includes acquiring knowledge and skills through life and work experience or non-formal training.

Frequently asked questions regarding PLAR for this program are answered in the Fact Sheet. A detailed Candidate Guide, which includes a self-audit for all PLAR-ready courses, has been developed for this program. This information guides a candidate through all steps in the PLAR process.

Transfer Credit

Many SIAST students benefit from transferring credit. You may be eligible to transfer credit from or to another college or university. Find out more about transfer credit options.

Courses
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CLIN 231 Clinical Component

The clinical component consists of a 60-hour clinical experience that integrates the theory you learned and the lab component. Your clinical experiences will be scheduled in an agency chosen by you in conjunction with the faculty of the Diabetes Education for Health Care Professionals program. An experienced agency staff member will guide and direct you, and evaluate your competence. You will be expected to demonstrate responsibility and accountability for your own learning. You will be in an unpaid student role and require time off work to complete the clinical component.

4.0 Credit Units
60.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Work Experience -Individual

Prerequisites:
HLTH 272 Minimum Grade of 60 and HLTH 273 Minimum Grade of P

CLTR 260 Cultural Considerations

Using cultural sensitivity as a guiding premise, your studies will focus on issues related to cultural diversity and how cultural beliefs, practices and traditions influence diabetes care and management. You will explore ways to ensure culturally sensitive care and education. You will also examine the benefits of culturally sensitive care.

3.0 Credit Units
45.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Correspondence

Prerequisites:
EDUC 260 Minimum Grade of 60

EDUC 260 The Education Process

Using the principles of adult learning, your studies will focus on the characteristics of all adult learners and the approaches used to enhance learning and healthy self-care practices. You will also use the Staged Model of Change in Practice to explore the behaviours that affect learning and your clients' readiness to learn.

4.0 Credit Units
60.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Correspondence, Online/Blackboard Individual

Prerequisites:
HLTH 267 Minimum Grade of 60

HLTH 266 Diabetes Management: A Review

Your studies will focus on a review of the basic features of diabetes and diabetes management. You will discuss topics related to pathophysiology (including population health concepts, epidemiology and demographics of diabetes, risk factors for diabetes and key client management strategies).

3.0 Credit Units
45.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Prior Learning, Correspondence, Online/Blackboard Individual

HLTH 267 Primary Prevention

Primary prevention is a prescription for change. Your studies will focus on a population health approach to diabetes prevention by considering the determinants of health and the effectiveness of interventions. Using community development principles, you will explore strategies to promote the importance of diabetes prevention. You will be introduced to evidence-based practice and its role in health promotion and the primary prevention of diabetes. You will also explore prevention strategies aimed at facilitating behaviour change in people at high risk for developing diabetes.

3.0 Credit Units
45.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Correspondence, Online/Blackboard Individual

Prerequisites:
HLTH 266 Minimum Grade of 60

HLTH 268 Insulin and Oral Agents

You will study the oral diabetes medications and insulins used in diabetes management in Canada, focusing on their actions, advantages/disadvantages of different regimens and principles of management. You will apply this information in client education, considering drug interactions and use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications. You will learn about complementary and alternative therapies and diabetes. You will become aware of financial and support programs for people living with diabetes.

4.0 Credit Units
60.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Correspondence

Prerequisites:
HLTH 269 Minimum Grade of 60

HLTH 269 Nutrition Management

You will study both the principles of healthy eating and specifics of nutritional management of diabetes using review and practical exercises to apply this information. You will learn how to use the tool, Just the Basics, to provide nutrition education for people with diabetes. You will overview special nutritional needs that may be concurrent with diabetes including using alcohol, dining out, vegetarian eating, travelling and eating disorders. You will also consider the influence of cultural differences in eating on diabetes management.

4.0 Credit Units
60.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Correspondence

Prerequisites:
CLTR 260 Minimum Grade of 60

HLTH 270 Activity Management

You will review the benefits of physical activity and its role in diabetes management. You will explore the limitations and barriers people living with diabetes face when incorporating physical activity into the management plan.

3.0 Credit Units
45.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Correspondence

Prerequisites:
HLTH 268 Minimum Grade of 60

HLTH 271 Complications: Acute and Chronic

You will examine the five major long-term complications of diabetes. Your studies will focus on support to the client in assessment, management and prevention strategies. You will also examine the physiological changes related to aging that increase the risks for diabetes complications.

4.0 Credit Units
60.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Correspondence

Prerequisites:
HLTH 270 Minimum Grade of 60

HLTH 272 Diabetes Care Across the Lifespan

Using the Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines for the prevention and management of diabetes in Canada as a framework, you will examine optimum management strategies for supporting all people living with diabetes. You will study gender-specific health issues in diabetes, and you will examine physiological changes related to growth, development and aging, and their effects on diabetes management. You will also study the psychosocial and mental health issues of people living with a chronic illness experience.

3.0 Credit Units
45.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Correspondence

Prerequisites:
HLTH 271 Minimum Grade of 60

HLTH 273 Lab Component

You will explore the role of community development and capacity building in diabetes prevention and management. You will practice motivational interviewing techniques. You will look at how current issues and trends affect diabetes care, prevention and education. You will practice performing a foot assessment.

1.0 Credit Units
12.0 Other hours

Learning Method(s): Lab/Practical, Prior Learning