Updated April 03, 2015.
Question: What Is A Certified Asthma Educator?
Answer:
Does your doctor use a certified asthma educator? A certified asthma educator is an expert in teaching, educating, and counseling about your or your child's asthma. A certified asthma educator has up-to-date knowledge about asthma. This would include not only best practices in health education, but also knowledge about:
- Cultural aspects of asthma care
Additionally, certified asthma educators also have specific skills that would include:
- Taking an asthma specific history
- Assessing asthma severity
- Efficient and effective communication skills
Certified asthma educator's are able to instruct you not only about your medications and their side effects, but also explain to you how to use any delivery device for your asthma medication such as an inhaler or nebulizer.
Your certified asthma educator will help you work with your doctor to successfully implement your asthma action plan. They will also continue to work with you to help you optimize your asthma control.
In order to become a certified asthma educator, an individual must be a licensed health care professional and pass a certification exam or have prior experience and also pass an examination.
Sources:
National Asthma Educator Certification Board. Accessed August 8, 2010. What is an AE-C?