IN THE NEWS
Summary of the 2007 Certification Examinations and Renewal of Certification by Continuing Education
09/2008
Through the development, maintenance and protection of the certification process and the Certified Diabetes Educator® ("CDE" ®) credential, the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators ("NCBDE") recognizes and advances the specialty practice of diabetes education. This is the mission of NCBDE.
To inform the public, potential candidates, and those currently certified, NCBDE each year publishes a summary of the results of the certification examinations administered the previous year, and the results of renewal of certification by continuing education, available since 2005.
Certification Examination for Diabetes Educators — 2007
In 2007, a total of 1,448 candidates took the certification examination, 670 in May and 778 in October. Of the total, 70% took the examination for the first time, 14% had previously taken the examination, but had not passed, 6% were previously certified individuals whose credentials had lapsed, and 10% renewed certification status.
Pass/Fail Statistics
| May 2007 | Total | Pass | Fail |
| Candidates writing the examination for the first time | 452 | 82.74% | 17.26% |
| Candidates renewing certification by examination | 51 | 100.00% | 0.00% |
| Candidates with lapsed credentials | 70 | 94.29% | 5.71% |
| Candidates repeating due to unsuccessful previous attempt(s) | 97 | 39.18% | 60.82% |
| Total Candidates May Administration | 670 | 78.96% | 21.04% |
| October 2007 | Total | Pass | Fail |
| Candidates writing the examination for the first time | 556 | 79.14% | 20.86& |
| Candidates renewing certification by examination | 101 | 99.01% | .99% |
| Candidates with lapsed credentials | 22 | 100.00% | 0.00% |
| Candidates repeating due to unsuccessful previous attempt(s) | 99 | 45.45% | 54.55% |
| Total Candidates October Administration | 778 | 78.02% | 21.98% |
2007 Renewal of Certification by Continuing Education
Renewal by continuing education requires that CDEs continue to hold the license or registration for the same discipline held at the time of initial certification and earn 75 hours of continuing education in content areas applicable to diabetes during the five year certification cycle. The renewal by continuing education option may be used each time recertification is due, provided the credential has not lapsed.
Implementation of the plan on a prorated basis required that CDEs whose credentials had an expiration date of 12/31/2007 had to complete 45 hours of approved continuing education between January 1, 2004 and September 17, 2007. Approximately 2,000 CDEs submitted applications for renewal of certification by continuing education; more than 98% successfully completed the process.
NCBDE
NCBDE was established in 1986 to promote the interests of diabetes educators and the public at large by granting certification to qualified health care professionals involved in teaching persons with diabetes through the establishment of eligibility requirements and development of a written examination. When the first examination was offered in 1986, 1,248 health care providers successfully completed the certification process to become the inaugural group of CDEs. The NCBDE certification process is a voluntary testing program used to assess the qualified health care professional's knowledge in diabetes self-management education. There were 15,448 credentialed CDE health care providers as of January 1, 2008.
CDE® Credential
The credential demonstrates to people with diabetes, employers, and third party payers that the Certified Diabetes Educator possesses distinct and specialized knowledge, thereby promoting quality of care for patients with diabetes. This certification has become the recognized standard for competence in diabetes self-management education. As the number of individuals diagnosed with diabetes continues to increase, it is important for them to have access to the services of Certified Diabetes Educators. NCBDE is committed to maintaining the quality and integrity of the CDE credential.