RN, Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

Functions as an agent of the patient while providing the full scope of nursing care with specific focus on diabetes education and management in the outpatient and in-patient setting. Analyzes information, monitors patients, and takes action to facilitate wellness, healing and effective management of diabetes. Serves as a resource for diabetes education and management. Meets the expectations of a professional employee. Role is professional, specialized, and connected to the continuum of diabetes nursing care.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Patient Information Analysis:

Collaborates with patient/family and prioritizes patient needs, problems and goals; intervenes or refers. Evaluates, compares and interprets ambiguous and changing patient data related to their diabetes care. Explores patients understanding and knowledge of current health status and diabetes disease management.

2. Patient Observation and Monitoring:

Applies nursing judgment to determine level of diabetes care assigned or delegated.

Uses knowledge of complex physiology to monitor, detect, and anticipate early and subtle health status changes, and specifically those related to diabetes management.

Monitors, trends and records patient response to diabetes management and treatment.

3. Nursing Action:

Accountable for individualized diabetes plan of care and its delivery.

a) Applies specialized expertise to solve problems, generate ideas, plan care, teach and maintain cutting edge practice in diabetes management.

b) Assigns Standards of Care

c) Uses scientific background, knowledge of change theory, ability to work with an interdisciplinary team and psychosocial skills to coordinate effective and efficient diabetes care for the patient.

d) Collaborates with patients, health care team (i.e. RD, CDCES, Care Coordinators) and their health care provider regarding their diabetes plan of care.

e) Guides development of multiple health care partnerships to achieve a positive health effect. Maintains purposeful therapeutic presence with patient based on nursing judgment. Provides care based on patient complexity and nursing judgment.

Uses patients' perspective to support informed decision-making regarding diabetes and related care.

4. Promotes patient wellness and facilitates healing: Develops diabetes education curriculum in accordance with ADA recommendations and provides education in collaboration with CDCES colleagues and provides other sources of health care information. Understands the patient’s unique perspective and assures right education, right time, right environment for learning. Provides community education and serves as a resource on diabetes disease prevention and management. Evaluates outcome of learning with care providers and CDCES colleagues.

5. Delegation to and supervision of assistive personnel: Fosters teamwork and respect.

Supports and serves as a resource to assistive personnel and holds them accountable for delegated tasks.

6. Professional expectations: Ascribes to the ANA Code of Ethics for professional nursing practice. Commits to culturally congruent care. Commits to continuous learning.

Participates in education of nursing colleagues and students. Commits to evidence-based practice and the conduct of nursing research. Commits to mission, vision and values of organization and to the profession of nursing.

7. Patient agent responsibilities: Creates an environment that assures patient safety.

Promotes healing by creating an environment that conserves patient energy.

Instills confidence in the patient's own ability to regain/optimize their own health.

Partners with patient to help them integrate health status changes into their life.

Education and Learning:

REQUIRED

Associate degree in Nursing.

DESIRED

Bachelor's degree in Nursing with Certification as a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

Work Experience:

REQUIRED:

2 years’ experience in nursing

DESIRED:

6 months experience in diabetes patient teaching.

License and Certifications:

REQUIRED:

• Registered Nurse (RN) licensed minimally in the state of practice, some positions may require additional state RN licenses.
• Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) within five years of hire date.
• Current Infant-Adult Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers (with hands on learning) from one of the following programs; American Heart Association or American Red Cross.

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Standard shift:

• Day shift

Weekly schedule:

• No weekends

Work Location: In person