Diabetes Education Certificate FAQs
Diabetes Education home page
FAQs
- How is the program offered?
- What is Ontariolearn?
- Who can take the Diabetes Educator Program through Mohawk College?
- How do I register?
- Tell me more about distance education. What should I expect?
- Can I take the courses in any order?
- What is the Fieldwork? What do I need to do this?
How is this program offered?
The Diabetes Educator program is a part-time program offered online through OntarioLearn. Courses run during the fall, winter and spring semesters. You can find full program of study information as well as course descriptions and costs in our current catalogue.
Please note that, because these courses are online, you must have a computer with Internet access.
What is OntarioLearn?
OntarioLearn is a consortium of community colleges across the province that provides courses online. One college hosts a course and offers it to the remaining colleges to pick up for their students. This means the host college owns the curriculum and provides the tutors, etc. This is an effective way of offering more courses to more students across Ontario.
Who can take the Diabetes Educator program through Mohawk College?
You must be a Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), Registered Dietician (RD), Physician, Chiropodist, Pharmacist or any other regulated health care professional from a regulatory college identified in the RPHA (Ontario). You will be currently able to practice in Ontario.
How do I register?
Registration starts approximately 5 – 6 weeks before courses start. You must have approval from the Program Manager in order to register. This can be obtained by submitting proof of your professional designation from your regulatory college to the Program Manager. Please include an email address so that receipt of your information can be confirmed. The fax number is 905-528-7706. Once you have approval, you can only register by person, fax or mail.
Tell me more about distance education. What should I expect?
The Distance Education Office mails out start-up information to you during the week the course starts. This information includes who your tutor is and how to sign on to Embanet, the online courseware for OntarioLearn. Once signed in you will “meet” your tutor and access information about learning units, readings, assignments and when they are due. You will also receive information about learning materials which can be purchased through the Bookstore. Check what learning materials you need for courses at http://mohawk.bookware3000.ca.
The biggest challenge to distance learning is time management. You can plan on spending 5 – 10 hours a week for reading, studying, and preparing assignments.
Can I take the courses in any order?
No. You must start with the first course, HSCIDW001 Diabetes Care Basic. Courses have been designed to build upon each other so you must take them in the following order after HSCIDW001:
HSCI10052 Introduction to Patient Education
HLTH10028 Living with Diabetes
HLTH10046 Special Issues with Diabetes
HLTH10057 Diabetes Field PlacementHSCI DW001 Diabetes Care Basic 30 hrs
- Fundamental values in delivery of diabetes education
- Types of diabetes
- Hyperglycemia: symptoms
- Management of diabetes: physical activity, nutrition, medication
- Self-monitoring techniques e.g. blood glucose, urine testing
HSCI 10052 Intro to Patient Education 30 hrs
- Four learning styles (Kolb)
- Learner readiness
- Characteristics of an effective diabetic educator
- Resources appropriate to assist learning process
HLTH 10028 Living with Diabetes 30 hrs
- Importance of self care
- Hypoglycemia: physiology and treatment
- Hyperglycemia: physiology and treatment
- Travel and unusual schedules: management
- Strategies for teaching clients with visual impairment or low literacy skills
- Culturally diverse education strategies
HLTH 10046 Special Issues with Diabetes 30 hrs
- Four-step program planning process
- Pre-gestational and gestational diabetes
- Children and adolescents: physical, psychological, social development concerns
- Aging: physiological changes and impact on diabetes
- Educational guidelines for diabetics during pregnancy, childhood, adolescence and older adulthood
- Risk factors, assessment methods, treatment and prevention of long term complications
- Components of program and team management as related to diabetes education programs
What is the Fieldwork? What do I need to do for this?
This course is a clinical placement of 60 hours and can be completed in your own community. In order to register for this clinical experience you must have completed all theory courses first.HLTH 10057 Diabetes Field Placement 60 hrs
- Prepare lesson plans for group diabetes education classes
- Conduct group teaching sessions in a diabetes education program
- Participate in team meetings of diabetes education interdisciplinary team
- Observe patient support groups in action
- Complete self-evaluation of personal teaching experience
Other requirements include medical clearance from Mohawk College Health Services; please note there is a one-time fee of $115 for this clearance. If you have paid this fee for another clinical experience through Mohawk you do not need to pay it again. You will, however, require your medical clearance to be updated. Contact Health Services if you have further questions at IAHShealthservices@mohawkcollege.ca.
The focus of this fieldwork is to demonstrate competency in teaching diabetes education to individuals.
If you have further questions please contact the Program Manager.
