Ace the CDCES Challenge 2025 – Master Diabetes Care and Education with Confidence!

Identifying possible barriers to self-management is the first and crucial step for a diabetes educator when working with a patient expressing difficulty in managing their condition. This approach allows the educator to understand the specific challenges the patient is facing, which could include factors such as lack of knowledge, emotional distress, financial issues, or social support systems. By assessing these barriers, the educator can tailor their guidance and interventions to address the patient's unique circumstances, making their education and support more effective.

Once barriers are clearly identified, the educator can then progress to encouraging blood glucose monitoring, discussing medication adherence, or providing information about complications. However, addressing the barriers first ensures that any subsequent recommendations are relevant and practical for the patient, facilitating a collaborative effort toward improving self-management skills.