Letter to the Editor

Abstract

I am reading the January 2014 Point/Counterpoint column (“Should NPs Be Certified Separately as Diabetes Specialists?”) with great interest. The article was initially forwarded to me by a colleague before my copy showed up on my doorstep. I am ADM-BC and have been since the inception of the certification. I was thrilled when the prestigious American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) chose to differentiate the difference between the clinical nurse specialist role and the nurse practitioner role with that certification and proudly have both certificates as I have progressed through my career path in diabetes care. The certification had strength and market potential under the ANCC as nurse professionals recognized the rigor and role of certification under ANCC. Now, under the generic title, and sadly, under American Association of Diabetes Educators, the certification has come to mean a higher level Certified Diabetes Educator role versus the more intense and varied clinical applications it was purposed for. I cried this year when I removed the last of my ANCC certifications from the wall due to expiration because the certification means so much less for me now. Should NPs Be Certified Separately as Diabetes Specialists?The Journal for Nurse PractitionersVol. 10Issue 1PreviewIn 2001, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) collaborated to create the Advanced Diabetes Management (ADM) Certification Program, which included separate ADM certifications for clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners (NPs), registered dietitians, and registered pharmacists. As of January 1, 2010, the ANCC discontinued the administration of the 4 ADM certification examinations. The AADE became responsible and combined the certifications into 1, which it offers to all the disciplines. Full-Text PDF