Renewal By Continuing Education

12/28/2009

Renewal of certification must be completed during the calendar year in which a CDE's certification expires. If a CDE can document meeting the renewal practice requirement, she/he may choose to renew either by continuing education or by taking the examination (Examination Details). If she/he does not meet the renewal practice requirement and still wishes to maintain the credential, renewal can only be accomplished through documentation of acceptable continuing education hours and passing the examination (Click here for the CE Packet to be submitted with Exam application for this situation).

Certification renewal demonstrates that professionals previously certified have maintained a level of contemporary knowledge in diabetes education. NCBDE requires all CDEs recertify every 5 years to maintain certification status. It is the responsibility of each CDE to stay abreast of changes in certification and/or renewal requirements and to recertify in a timely manner. Valid dates of the credential should be monitored and application for renewal submitted by published deadlines. Extensions of certification are not granted.

General Information

Renewal by continuing education requires that CDEs meet eligibility requirements and complete 75 clock hours of continuing education in content areas applicable to diabetes during the five year recertification cycle.

Renewal by Continuing Education Cycles

After initial certification, all continuing education must be completed between the following January 1 and the application deadline date for renewal, i.e., September 15, five years later.

For subsequent certification periods, all continuing education must be completed between the day after the application deadline date (i.e., September 16) and the application deadline date for renewal, i.e., September 15, five years later.

Self-Assessment

It is expected that health care professionals specializing in diabetes self-management education will want to demonstrate through renewal of certification that their knowledge and skills are up-to-date and that they are able to practice proficiently and safely. It is hoped that all CDEs who select renewal of certification by continuing education will engage in a personal assessment to identify professional needs and participate in appropriate activities.

Continuing Education

Activities that are acceptable for renewal of certification by continuing education:

Activities that are NOT acceptable methods for renewal of certification by continuing education:

Only continuing education hours applicable to diabetes and offered by a provider on the NCBDE List of Recognized Providers* or continuing education applicable to diabetes from accredited academic institutions granting degrees related to professional practice may be submitted. The course title should provide an indication of the content of the course. A brief description of content (or course outline or brochure) may be attached when the course title does not provide any indication of course content.

*Several state boards of licensure require continuing education for renewal of licensure. Acceptance by a state board of licensure does not guarantee that a continuing education program meets NCBDE’s criteria. The state board of licensure must be accredited or approved by one of the NCBDE recognized provider(s) for an activity to be considered for NCBDE renewal of certification and the recognized provider must be listed on the Summary Form, not the state board of licensure, when the activity is reported.

Continuing Education Hours (Clock Hours)

All continuing education activities must be reported in clock hours, i.e., the actual time spent on the continuing education activity, not contact hours, credits, or units awarded by the recognized provider. One clock hour equals 60 minutes. In many professions, a 60-minute hour is equivalent to 1 contact hour, i.e., 60 minutes equals 1 contact hour. In nursing prior to 2007, however, a 50-minute hour was equivalent to 1 contact hour, i.e., 50 minutes equaled 1 contact hour. To provide a common measure for continuing education activities, NCBDE requires that activities be reported in clock hours.

If a recognized provider awarded 2 contact hours for a continuing education activity that was 2 hours in length, 2 clock hours would be reported to NCBDE for that activity. For that same two-hour program prior to 2007, if the provider awarded 2.4 contact hours for nurses on the basis of a 50 minute hour, it would be necessary to convert those contact hours to clock hours. This would be done by multiplying 2.4 contact hours by 50 minutes, which is 120 minutes or 2 hours.

The clock hours submitted cannot be more than the number of contact hours/credits/units awarded by the recognized provider.

Presentations

Participants may include in the time to be counted as clock hours the course overview, introductions, educational presentation, and question and answers. Time may not be counted for general announcements, breaks, lunch, exhibits, or poster sessions.

Self study programs (on-line or written booklets)

Participants may count the actual time spent on completing the activity. Clock hours submitted cannot be more than the number of contact hours/credits/units awarded by the recognized provider.

Sample Summary of Continuing Education Activities Form

Click here for information on obtaining a sample Summary of Continuing Education Activities form. The document is available via download or mail.