Dietitian-Diabetes Educator - FMG - Diabetes Services at Tacoma

Job Description

Job Summary:

This job is responsible for providing group and/or individual diabetes self-management education/training (DSMT) to patients (and family members) so as to enable them to learn techniques to bring their disease under control, avoid potential complications and bring about lasting improvements in quality of life. Educational topics may include blood glucose monitoring, , behavior modification, nutritional/exercise concepts, dietary modification/meal planning, insulin self-management oral medicine self-management, diabetes care during illness/pregnancy, and/or insulin pump management. Education goal is to help the patient learn the tools to prevent short and long term complications related to uncontrolled diabetes. An incumbent assesses patient needs and develops an individualized education plan of care to facilitate the development and application of needed skills to positively impact diabetes management.

Since education has been recognized as key to the management of diabetes, work requires professional expertise in not only in the disease state, but also in education, motivation techniques for behavior change, and translating the science of nutrition and medicine into practice to help people with diabetes to manage the disease themselves.

Work requires either current licensure as a registered nurse (RN) or current certification as a Dietitian, with commensurate advanced education in the specialty area. Certification as a CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator) is strongly preferred.

Essential Duties:

• Assesses and evaluates individuals with diagnosed diabetes (e.g. Type 1, Type 2, gestational diabetes) to identify knowledge deficits and assess education needs; reviews physicians referral information relating to patients diagnosis and related medical conditions/medications; identifies the patients specific diabetes self-management and medical nutrition therapy goals, and develops unique educational care plan to best meet individual needs and lifestyle; confers with referring provider or providers office staff regarding patients individual care plan and progress; establishes and records baseline data for use in monitoring and evaluating ongoing progress.
• Conducts group training and behavioral intervention to educate patients/families in diabetes, identify self-management objectives and modify behavior and lifestyle; topics include overall diabetes management, coping with the disease and managing risk factors; motivational techniques, healthy eating and physical activity; how their medications work, and monitor their blood glucose; explains the risk of complications; documents diabetes education activities and interventions in accordance with established procedures. Must be knowledgeable about insulin delivery systems including insulin pumps, as well as continuous glucose monitoring systems.
• Monitors and documents ongoing patient progress to ensure lifestyle and behavior have been adapted to facilitate effective diabetes self-management skills; Conducts individual training sessions for patients who need to work on specific diabetes self-care skills in order to reduce existing risk factors (e.g. elevated cholesterol/triglyceride levels, etc) or for other medically-necessary reason; Follows up where progress is less than expected and initiates intervention in accordance with established procedures.
• Makes assessments relating to the need for insulin adjustment to control blood sugar within scope of practice as authorized by physicians (or qualified non-physician practitioner) order; test blood sugar and/or give insulin injections; consults and interprets existing protocols to determine appropriate adjustment; notifies physician of change.
• Maintains and applies current knowledge of diabetes disease processes and continuous advances in diabetes understanding/treatment and self-management principles, standards, practices and tools; keeps abreast of the latest clinical advances and related methodologies/protocols. Obtains 15 continuing education credits every calendar year, in the area of diabetes education and diabetes self management training.
• Receives questions from patients and families and provides timely responses within scope of practice; consults with and refers patients to other healthcare providers as required to triage and address emergency, specific and/or changing needs
• Monitors and evaluates effectiveness of training activities, and reviews evaluation data to recommend changes in instructional objectives, methods and programs; participates in the development, revision and evaluation of diabetes educational materials and programs for individuals with diabetes.
• Serves as a liaison/consultant to FMG personnel, students and other professional organizations regarding diabetes education/management; establishes and maintains relationships with other community agencies for referral and networking purposes

Other: Performs related duties as required.

Job Requirements

Education:

• Bachelors degree from an accredited institution in foods and nutrition (including completion of internship, traineeship, or coordinated undergraduate program).
• Minimum one year of recent work experience teaching hospital inpatient and out-patients with diabetes OR
• Graduation from an accredited school of nursing (BSN preferred).
• RD preferred.

Experience:

• Three years of recent work experience involving the technical aspects of providing nursing care, including a minimum of one year recent work experience involving inpatient diabetes education in a hospital setting.

License/Certification:

• Either: 1) Certified by the Stateas a Dietitian, and registration as a dietitian by the American Dietetic Association; OR 2) current licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) by the State Board of Nursing.
• Current certification in Diabetes Education (CDE) by the National Certification Board for Diabetic Educators (NCBDE) is strongly preferred.
• CPR certification.
• Current drivers license valid in the state or other evidence of equivalent mobility.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates a commitment to service, organization values and professionalism through appropriate conduct and demeanor at all times.
• Adheres to and exhibits our core values:
  Reverence: Having a profound spirit of awe and respect for all creation, shaping relationships to self, to one another and to God and acknowledging that we hold in trust all that has been given to us.
  Integrity: Moral wholeness, soundness, uprightness, honesty and sincerity as a basis of trustworthiness.
  Compassion: Feeling with others, being one with others in their sorrows and joys, rooted in the sense of solidarity as members of the human community.
  Excellence: Outstanding achievement, merit, virtue; continually surpassing standards to achieve/maintain quality.
• Maintains confidentiality and protects sensitive data at all times.
• Adheres to organizational and department specific safety standards and guidelines.
• Works collaboratively and supports efforts of team members.
• Demonstrates exceptional customer service and interacts effectively with physicians, patients, residents, visitors, staff and the broader health care community.

Catholic Health Initiatives and its organizations are Equal Opportunity Employers CB

Shift: 1

Scheduled Hours per 2-week Pay Period: 64

Weekends Required: Occasional

Status: Part Time
Country: USA, State: Washington, City: Tacoma, Company: Franciscan Medical Group.