Diabetes Educator/Dietitian

Job Description

About the Company

Wellstar Medical Specialists is a leading provider of healthcare services in Georgia. The company offers a wide range of services, including primary care, specialty care, urgent care, and behavioral health services. Wellstar Medical Specialists is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to its patients.

Job Description

The Diabetes Educator/Dietitian is responsible for coordinating patient diabetes self-management and nutritional care through clinical assessment, education, and documentation throughout all phases of diabetes-related care. The Diabetes Educator/Dietitian is responsible for providing patient education with an understanding and awareness of age-specific needs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborates with patients, family members, and the healthcare team to assess diabetes self-management education and support needs.
• Provides services and establishes goals based on the identified needs of patients and/or family members.
• Applies knowledge and skills in developing, implementing, and maintaining nutrition care plans.
• Continuously evaluates DSMES processes and patient outcomes and implements quality practice by following system policies, procedures, and evidence-based research.
• Provides care according to organizational ethics, licensure, and Standards of Professional Practice for Dietetics Professionals.
• Applies Joint Commission and/or regulatory standards in the provision of DSMES.
• Utilizes patient experience and empathy skills when interacting with patients and family members.
• Participates in appropriate committees and team member huddles.
• Engages in quality improvement initiatives and projects.
• Explains available tools used for monitoring, such as self-monitoring of blood glucose, continuous glucose monitoring, mobile applications, and appropriate techniques for accurate collection of patient-generated health data (PGHD).
• Interprets data generated from monitoring tools.
• Demonstrates proficiency with the operation and download of insulin pumps.
• Translates data findings into actionable recommendations based on the plan of care.
• Applies knowledge of monitoring to provide guidance on the achievement of treatment goals.
• Assists individuals with the recognition of barriers and the implementation of strategies for effective monitoring.
• Advocates for and supports technology-enabled diabetes education and care in individual and population health diabetes services.
• Documents all individual contacts/visits in the Electronic Health Record and outcomes data base according to the guidelines in a timely manner.
• Provides medical nutrition therapy according to system policy and A.N.D. Nutrition Care Process practice standards.
• Utilizes the Nutrition Care Process when assessing patients.
• Responsible for nutrition screen, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and monitoring/evaluation of identified at-risk patients.
• Applies psycho-social, age-appropriate, evidence-based nutrition care.
• Documents all patient encounters in the health care record in accordance with hospital and department policies and procedures.
• Assesses patient’s learning needs, barriers to learning, preferred learning styles, and educational level and provides nutrition education accordingly.
• Utilizes community resources through the continuum of care to foster positive patient outcomes.
• Identifies expected outcomes of patient care.
• Assists with processing prior authorizations for patient equipment, medication, DME needs, etc.
• Coordinates the delivery and documentation of quality patient education that promotes the professional care delivery model.
• Demonstrates teamwork and collaboration by practicing in a manner that is fiscally responsible and promotes the recruitment and retention of all department team members.
• Participates in and supports performance improvement using LEAN Six Sigma.
• Collaborates, advocates, and confers with other members of the diabetes care team in developing person-centered diabetes plans.
• Serves as a subject matter expert in diabetes technology for the care team and identifies opportunities to use technology to improve quality of life.
• Completes all initial and ongoing professional competency assessment, required mandatory education, and population-specific education.
• Serves as a preceptor and/or mentor for other department educators.
• Engages in lifelong self-development to improve knowledge and skills that promote continued competence.
• Conducts yearly self-assessment to identify professional strengths and weaknesses.
• Identifies needs for professional development and mentors dietetic interns.
• Documents professional development activities according to system policies.
• Engages in continuous learning opportunities to further develop skills and capabilities in application technical and functional areas.
• Locates, reviews, and utilizes best practice research findings for their application in optimally managing a disease or condition and improving patient outcomes.
• Upholds all system/organizational/departmental policies and procedures and clinical competencies put forth by this job description and professional association, including legal, regulatory, and accreditation requirements and standards ensuring, by way of example, fulfillment of American Diabetes Association standards, Joint Commission Patient Safety Goals, and Wellstar Health System’s safety absolutes.
• Participates in data collection and chart audits.
• Consults appropriate experts and uses appropriate resources and evidence to address practice questions.
• Bases clinical practice on sound scientific principles, current research, and theory.
• Shares and reports research and patient outcomes utilizing various media.
• Demonstrates knowledge related to clinical practice.
• Communicates sound scientific principles, research, and theory to health care team members and dietetic interns in optimally managing patients’ care.
• Shares knowledge and expertise with dietetic interns, patients, family members, and health care team members.
• Documents understanding of relevant information and results of communication with dietetic interns/