Diabetes (Professional Credit Award) - Online
Diabetes is a continuous professional development course that has been designed for all health care professionals including, doctors and nurses to help develop the knowledge and skills to manage diabetes mellitus effectively. This course helps the candidate develop the knowledge and confidence to deliver an effective management plan based on up-to-date resources and support from multi-professional specialists from the diabetic patient group in general practice. Emphasis will be placed on developing a structured system of care, which supports patients in successfully managing their diabetes and lifestyle. This course will be delivered by experts in diabetic care through online distance learning and workshops. We believe our graduates are competent in delivering a comprehensive management plan for their diabetic patients and improve the overall care of this patient group.
With the introduction of the Diabetes Cycle of Care Contract, the burden of chronic disease management is now recognised and remunerated in General Practice. This course has the main focus of upskilling health care practitioner already working in primary care and those that wish to transition to this area. Confidence in diagnosis and management of patients with diabetes or those at risk of diabetes improves diabetic patient care.
This course runs for three months from September to December. This is a fully online course consisting of ten distance learning units supported by two online clinical workshop days. This course will be delivered by experts in diabetic care through online distance learning and workshops.
The workshops are specialist-led and a key component of each workshop are case based discussions.
The workshops include:
• Lifestyle and diabetes
• Obesity
• The diabetic foot
• Therapeutics in diabetes, monitoring devices, blood pressure management in diabetes, diabetic emergencies, insulin and pumps
• Behaviour change in chronic diseases
• Diabetes cycle of care, practice IT system support.
Subjects taught
This course consists of ten online learning units supported by two online clinical workshop days. Each unit lasts 1-2 weeks and is tutored by a designated specialist.
Through online learning with weekly units and two online clinical workshop days the following key areas are covered:
1. Diagnosis of diabetes
2. Diabetes control & monitoring; self-management education
3. Structured diabetes care
4. Lifestyle modification
5. Therapeutics of diabetes—glucose-lowering agents
6. Therapeutics of diabetes—insulin
7. Acute complications of diabetes; driving and travel for patients with diabetes
8. Preventing cardiovascular disease in diabetes
9. Preventing diabetic eye, kidney and foot disease
10. Diabetes and pregnancy.
Entry requirements
Entry Requirements
Allied health care practitioners that are currently involved in the care of patients with diabetes, including general practitioners, practice nurses, hospital-based nurses, dietiticians and podiatrists, are welcome to apply.
Application dates
Closing Date: August 16, 2025.
Applications must be completed online at: https://nuigalway.elluciancrmrecruit.com/Apply/Account/Login.
An application requires a registration fee of €35. You will be asked to upload proof of identification, academic transcripts, a personal statement, an academic reference and documentation to fulfil the English requirement (where English is not your first language).
Duration
6 months part time over two semesters September to March.
Enrolment dates
Next start date: September 2025
Post Course Info
Career Opportunities
We believe our graduates are competent in delivering a comprehensive management plan for their diabetic patients and improve the overall care of this patient group.
The focus of the course has led to significant advances in practice in how participants deliver their care to their diabetic patient group in primary care. Such advances include the development of a diabetic register and a recall system, use of in-practice diabetic clinics and the use of audit to monitor and improve care. Support from local specialists in diabetes care in this course also establishes a good link between the general practitioner, the practice nurse and secondary care. This course is fully accredited for CPD and also includes the CPD requirement for an audit.