Diabetes Educator

Purpose The Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) provides comprehensive diabetes care and education to individuals with diabetes, prediabetes, and other cardiometabolic conditions. The CDCES supports patients in developing the knowledge, skills, confidence, and behaviors necessary to effectively manage their condition and improve health outcomes. The position provides evidence-based diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES), individualized assessment and education, nutrition and lifestyle counseling, medication and treatment education within the individual's scope of practice, and ongoing support for diabetes self-management. The CDCES collaborates with physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other members of the healthcare team to promote coordinated, patient-centered care. The position also participates in quality improvement activities, program development, community education, and population health initiatives related to diabetes prevention and management.

Essential Job Functions

• Conduct comprehensive assessments of patients with diabetes, prediabetes, and related metabolic conditions, including medical, nutritional, psychosocial, behavioral, and educational needs.
• Assess the patient's knowledge, skills, readiness, barriers, and self-efficacy related to diabetes self-management.
• Develop individualized diabetes education and self-management plans based on assessment findings, treatment goals, health literacy, cultural considerations, and patient preferences.
• Provide ongoing follow-up and reassessment of patient progress and educational needs.
• Identify potential barriers to successful diabetes management and assist patients in developing realistic strategies to overcome those barriers.
• Recognize situations requiring referral or escalation to the patient's healthcare provider or other members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Provide evidence-based education regarding diabetes prevention, disease management, and prevention of acute and chronic complications.
• Educate patients regarding blood glucose monitoring, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), diabetes technology, and interpretation of glucose data within the individual's scope of practice.
• Provide education regarding insulin and other diabetes medications, including appropriate use, administration, storage, safety, adherence, and recognition of potential adverse effects.
• Educate patients regarding recognition and management of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.
• Assist patients in establishing individualized self-management goals and action plans.
• Provide education to family members and caregivers when appropriate and with patient consent
• Promote physical activity and other healthy lifestyle behaviors as appropriate.
• Collaborate with other healthcare professionals when specialized nutrition or medical interventions are required.
• Collaborate with physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, behavioral health professionals, and other members of the healthcare team.
• Communicate relevant patient assessment findings, educational interventions, progress, and concerns to the appropriate members of the healthcare team.
• Facilitate referrals to appropriate healthcare and community resources.
• Document patient assessments, education, interventions, outcomes, and follow-up according to organizational standards and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain current knowledge of diabetes treatment standards, evidence-based practice, diabetes technology, medications, nutrition recommendations, and emerging approaches to diabetes care.

Responsibilities And Duties

• Participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the Diabetes Program
• Responsible for assessing the needs of each patient with diabetes and planning the care needed to meet those needs, including the spiritual, emotional and physiological needs
• Responsible to see that the plan of care is carried out and coordinates the care of the patient by communicating with other members of the car team
• Provide diabetic education and support to patient and families in both the inpatient and outpatient settings
• Work with providers, nursing team and other support staff to provide high-quality care for patients
• Must have clinical knowledge to develop appropriate educational materials for patients served
• Must function as part of the health care team using interdisciplinary approaches in delivering care to patients
• Must have good organizational and communication skills

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities - Competencies

• Comprehensive knowledge of diabetes mellitus, prediabetes, and related cardiometabolic conditions.
• Knowledge of current evidence-based standards and guidelines for diabetes care and education.
• Knowledge of diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) principles and practices.
• Knowledge of diabetes medications, including insulin and non-insulin therapies, within the individual's professional scope of practice.
• Knowledge of blood glucose monitoring and continuous glucose monitoring technologies.
• Knowledge of diabetes-related acute and chronic complications and appropriate prevention strategies.
• Knowledge of nutrition principles related to diabetes and cardiometabolic health.
• Strong patient assessment and clinical education skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to translate complex medical information into language that patients and families can understand and apply.
• Strong motivational interviewing and behavior-change counseling skills.
• Ability to establish rapport and build trusting relationships with patients and families.
• Strong critical-thinking, clinical judgment, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to assess individual learning needs and develop appropriate education plans.
• Ability to adapt education and communication strategies to varying levels of health literacy, learning styles, age, culture, and cognitive ability.
• Ability to motivate patients to establish and maintain realistic self-management goals.
• Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities while maintaining accuracy and quality of care.

Supervisory Responsibility Guidance: N/A

Materials Responsibility Limited: Work requires limited responsibility for material resources. Examples of resources could include supplies, equipment, inventories, small budgets, and other similar material assets. The employee has a limited amount of control over these resources. The cost of error is also limited in terms of damage, waste or financial loss. Problems associated with material resources are not complex. The volume of resources may vary, but the level of difficulty in dealing with these resources in uncomplicated.

Key Relationships Co-workers/JCRHC Employees, General Public/Visitors/Volunteers, Physicians/ Medical Office Staff, Patients, Diabetes Advisory Board, Community, Families, and Significant Others.

Position Specifications Education Graduate of an accredited nursing program.

Field of Study Diabetes Education Preferred Special Training Current Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) certification required or must be obtained within 12 months of hire

Licensure / Registration Current, unrestricted RN license to the state of practice.

Experience Previous experience providing diabetes education, diabetes management, or related clinical care preferred. Experience working in an interdisciplinary healthcare environment preferred. Experience with diabetes technology, including CGM and insulin delivery systems, preferred.

Interpersonal Skills Interaction is with a variety of people inside or outside the organization. Communications are of moderate difficulty and sensitivity. Contact with others may involve detailed and lengthy dialogues & exchanges of information. Requires a moderate amount of interpersonal skills. Interactions involve dealing with moderately complicated problem situations or stressful encounters.

Working Conditions There is limited exposure to moderately adverse and undesirable environmental conditions. There are some health and safety risks. Position may require safety equipment and precautions. The amount of time the employee may experience these moderate conditions is limited to 10% or less of their workday.

Possible Exposure to Blood Borne Pathogens Yes

Service Excellence Expectations Adheres to the “Values and Behavior Statement” of Jackson County Regional Health Center.

• Adheres to HIPAA and maintains confidentiality as relates to all patient and medical information.