Renewal of Certification by Continuing Education Frequently Asked Questions
What continuing education activities are acceptable?
- Continuing education courses
- Seminars
- Workshops
- Conferences
- Independent study
- On-line programs
- Telephonic or video conference programs
What continuing education activities are not acceptable?
- Academic courses
- Certification/credentials awarded
- Elected office or serving on Boards and/or Committees
- Articles or books written by the certificant
- Journal clubs or professional reading
- Presentations or lectures by the certificant
- Posters or poster sessions and exhibits
- Preceptorships or mentor hours
- Research
- Volunteer activities
I have attended several dinners and meetings featuring speakers on subjects applicable to diabetes that have not been approved for continuing education credit, may I count the time spent attending these presentations?
The activity must be offered as continuing education. If continuing education credit is granted for a presentation applicable to diabetes by a provider on the NCBDE list of recognized providers, the time may be counted. Time spent attending a presentation or dinner applicable to diabetes that has not been approved for continuing education credit may not be submitted to NCBDE for renewal of certification by continuing education.
How can I find out about continuing education opportunities?
Look to the professional organizations to identify continuing education opportunities, including professional journals. Try checking the web sites of industries applicable to diabetes which may offer accredited/approved continuing education. Conferences are not the only option.
May the total time spent at a seminar be counted toward renewal of certification by continuing education?
Only the time spent specifically on topics applicable to diabetes counts. For example, an eight hour medical seminar has several sessions, but only two, one-hour presentations are applicable to diabetes. Only the two hours spent on the subject matter applicable to diabetes count towards renewal of certification by continuing education.
What about time spent for announcements, at lunch or touring exhibits?
Time spent on general announcements, breaks, lunch, exhibits, etc. is not accepted. Only the time spent specifically on topics applicable to diabetes may be counted. Participants may count the educational presentation, time allotted for course overviews/introductions, and questions and answers.
As a nurse, 1.2 continuing education hours were credited toward nursing recertification for every 60 minutes spent at an educational activity prior to 2007*. This counted as 1 unit. Is it the same for CDE renewal of certification by continuing education?
All that counts is the actual amount of time (clock hours) spent on the subject matter applicable to diabetes. Counting "units" or "continuing education credit hours" is unnecessary. The nursing example above counts as one hour toward your CDE recertification regardless of discipline.
*Note: Effective January 1, 2007, ANCC's criteria for defining a contact hour was changed to 60 minutes. Prior to that contact hour credit for nursing was based on a 50-minute hour. For purposes of renewal that means that all continuing nurse education activities completed between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2006 will have to be converted to clock hours on the basis of a 50 minute contact hour. Continuing nursing education activities completed in 2007 and later will be 1 clock hour for every contact hour.
Will members of all different disciplines always receive the same amount of hours for the same continuing education activity?
Yes.
How is time counted for self-study programs?
Participants may count the actual time spent on completing the activity and submit it for continuing education. The actual time submitted cannot be more than the number of units/credits awarded by the provider.
Will there be a requirement to complete a certain number of continuing education hours each year of the certification cycle?
There is no set number of hours that must be completed in a specific year. It is up to the individual to decide how best to obtain the total number of hours needed for renewal of certification by continuing education.