What are the responsibilities and job description for the Diabetes Educator position at Children's National Medical Center?
The Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) position - will be responsible for diabetes education/care of patients/families, including new onset and established diabetes, in children, adolescents, and young adults, in the inpatient and outpatient settings, individually and in group format.
The CDE will provide patient education and ongoing patient support in consultation with physician and advanced practice nursing staff. Perform complete educational and skills assessments for patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes managed on oral medications, insulin injections and insulin pumps. Provide diabetes self-management education to families including 1:1, group/classroom settings and electronically (telephone/web-based). The CDE will help to develop, document and implement education and treatment plans for patients as well as evaluating and meeting patient and family learning needs. The CDE will follow up with patient to evaluate achievement of learning goals and assist families with making decisions about diabetes self-care including meal planning/carbohydrate counting, planning for exercise, daily schedule adjustments, responding to high and low blood sugar readings and other questions. Assist family with sick day management guidelines to identify and coordinate resources.
The CDE will support research based projects and assist to maintain the American Diabetes Association certification for Children's National's Diabetes Education Program at the Sheikh Zayed campus. Will participate school-based staff in-service days as needed. The CDE will participate in diabetes clinics as needed at all Children's National satellite clinic locations. All practice is based on the legal scope of practice, national and specialty CDE standards, Children's National Policies and Procedures, and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. Children's National supports the development of CDE relationships within the community; specifically those relationships associated with the health and well-being of the community at large.
- Participate and promote family/patient and staff education; participate in CQI of educational process to determine opportunities for improvement; present at hospital, community , and national educational forums regarding the education/care of children and adolescents with diabetes as opportunities present.
- Educate patients/families with newly diagnosed and established diabetes (Type, 2, CFR, and secondary) according to the 10 Standards of practice for Diabetes Educators (Assessment, Use of Resources, Planning, Implementation, Documentation, Evaluation & Outcome Multidisciplinary Collaboration, Professional Development, Professional Accountability, and Ethics).
- Educate patients/families in the 10 content areas specified by the AADE, as appropriate(Disease Process, Nutritional Management, Physical Activity , Medications, Acute Complications, Risk Reduction, Goal setting/Problem Solving, Psychosocial Adjustment, and Preconceptual Care).
- Assist patient/family to educate other caretakers, including school staff, to ensure a safe transition to outpatient setting and optimal functioning in school setting.
- Provide on-call diabetes education on weekends and holidays.
- Obtain continuing education in topics specified by the National Standards (diabetes management, behavioral intervention, teaching, learning, and counseling).
- Download blood sugar meters, start CGMs and collaborate with MD to interpret results and change therapy, as needed.
- Maintain current knowledge and skills related to diabetes self-management products and educational materials.
- Assist in developing tools/forms, as needed, to document teaching learning process per National Standards.
- Maintain skills in computer software used for diabetes care and education.
- Participate in daily morning huddles and departmental and diabetes team meetings.
- Facilitate patient flow and download blood glucose meters at diabetes clinics as needed.
- Recognize abnormal diabetes lab results and takes appropriate action in collaboration with MD.
- Provide phone triage/point of contact for patients/families, schools, and other community organizations on a daily basis.
- Communicate effectively and regularly with diabetes team members about patient/family strengths/needs.
- Collaborate with nursing staff, diabetes team, and other health care professionals in the planning, provision, and evaluation of patient/family education and implementation of system change related to diabetes care/education.
- Interpret the intent of diabetes policies in the hospital and community in an understandable and non-biased manner to staff and families.
- Develop and maintain working relationships with diabetes product representatives in the community.
- Participate to maintain ADA Program recognition and attend yearly Advisory Committee meetings.
- Establish patient care/education priorities to best meet the needs of patients, staff, and hospital responsibilities.
- Advance professional practice through active participation in ADA, AADE, and other organizations involved in the care of patients with diabetes
- Role model conflict management.
- Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met
- Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior
- Partner with all team members to achieve goals
- Receptive to others’ ideas and opinions
- Contribute to a positive work environment
- Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change
- Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes
- Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment
- Use resources efficiently
- Search for less costly ways of doing things
- Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance
- Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation
- Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation
- Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication
- Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers
- Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance
