Diabetic Educator

DESCRIPTION: The Diabetic and Nursing Educator plays a crucial role in promoting health and disease prevention by counseling individuals and groups on nutritional practices, diabetes education, and disease management. This position involves evaluating patients' dietary and medical needs, developing individualized nutrition care plans, and educating patients and their families on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, the educator provides Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) and supports patients managing conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and other chronic illnesses.

SUPERVISION: Directly supervised by the Chief Medical Officer.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Requires prolonged sitting, standing, extended work hours, occasional lifting up to 25 pounds. Travel to various clinic sites may be required.

FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Patient Care & Education

• Assess patients' nutritional needs, dietary restrictions, and health conditions to develop and implement personalized dietary care plans.
• Provide one-on-one and group counseling on nutrition, meal planning, and chronic disease management, emphasizing diabetes education.
• Educate patients and families on nutritional principles, dietary modifications, and meal preparation to enhance their quality of life.
• Conduct nutrition screenings and assessments to monitor patient progress and adjust care plans as needed.
• Offer Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) for conditions such as weight management, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and other health concerns.
• Perform insulin teaching and provide diabetes self-management education.

Collaboration & Program Development

• Work closely with physicians, nurses, behavioral health providers, and other healthcare professionals to determine patients' nutritional needs and develop integrated care plans.
• Develop and update nutritional policies and procedures to align with current clinical guidelines and best practices.
• Coordinate Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) programs and work towards maintaining accreditation with organizations such as the American Diabetes Association (ADA) or the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES).
• Serve as a resource specialist for the behavioral health program and diabetes education team.

Training & Community Engagement

• Plan and deliver educational sessions for healthcare providers, community health workers, and the general public on nutrition, diabetes prevention, and chronic disease management.
• Develop curriculum, manuals, visual aids, and course materials to support patient education and healthcare training initiatives.

Documentation & Compliance

• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of nutrition counseling sessions in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system.
• Participate in peer reviews and quality improvement initiatives to ensure excellence in patient care.
• Adhere to HIPAA regulations and confidentiality protocols when handling patient information.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, Health Sciences or related field.
• Registered Dietitian (RD) with the Commission on Dietetics Registration.
• Licensed Dietitian in the State of Texas.

OR

• Graduate from an accredited School of Nursing.
• Active and unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in Texas.
• Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) or Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years' experience in providing nutritional counseling and chronic disease management education.
• Active membership in professional organizations such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics or Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is preferred.
• Must have a current BLS certificate.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong oral and written communication skills for patient education and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Knowledge of nutrition education strategies, chronic disease management, and teaching methodologies.
• Ability to develop and implement effective nutrition care plans.
• High level of confidentiality and ethical practice.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, and experience with electronic health records (EHR).
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently while also functioning as part of a multidisciplinary team