Diabetes Education Specialist

Overview

The Certified Diabetes Educator delivers comprehensive services to bridge the gap between clinical and self-management aspects of diabetes and disease prevention for those patients with ant at risk for prediabetes, type 1, and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents. The Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team and in accordance with approved protocols, provides high quality patient care Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support as well as disease prevention counseling services to patients/families with diabetes and those at risk for diabetes (pediatric, adult, and geriatric) across all sites and programs assigned by their supervisor. This includes coordinating care, assessing and identifying risk factors, negotiating care plans with the patient, education (group and/or individual), monitoring, communicating outcomes, and ensuring the care of their patients meets the organization's productivity goals, quality performance measures, regulatory compliance, training needs, and research initiatives.

Responsibilities

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• Establish and maintain positive relationships with patients, visitors, and other employees. Interact professionally, courteously and appropriately with patients, visitors, and other employees. Behave consistently by maintaining and furthering a positive public perception of Bronx Care Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Health Center and its employees.
• Contributes to and participates in the Performance/Quality Improvement activities of the assigned department. Contribution and participation include data collection, analysis, implementation of and compliance with risk management and claims activities, support of and participation in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams, Center (a) Safety and Security Policies, (b) Risk Management: Incident and Occurrence Reporting, (c) Infection Control Policies and Procedures and (d) Patient and Customer Service. 
• Delivers high-quality nutritional counseling, diabetes education, and support improve the health outcomes of our diverse and underserved patient population.
• Provides one-on-one and group education as needed for patients with diabetes, prediabetes, and other nutrition- related conditions.
• Develops and implements individualized care plans based on patient needs, addressing dietary, cultural, and socioeconomic factors.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments and follow-ups, including evaluating patient progress and adjusting plans as necessary.
• Promotes adherence to the ADCES 7 self-care behaviors framework (Healthy Eating Being Active, Monitoring, Taking Medication, Problem Solving, Reducing Risks, and Heathy Coping).
• Demonstrates proficiency in using and educating patients on diabetes technologies, including continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps.
• Assist patients in understanding the operation, benefits, and troubleshooting of glucose sensors and insulin pump devices.
• Collaborates with endocrinologists and diabetes care team to optimize device setting and glucose management strategies.
• Stays current on advancements in diabetes technology and integrate best practices into patient care.
• Conducts Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) visits for patients with chronic conditions, including but not limited to chronic kidney disease (CKD), congestive heart failure (CHF), hypertension, obesity, and hyperlipidemia.
• Educates patients on dietary strategies to manage and improve their chronic conditions.
• Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of nutrition and interventions and adjusts care plans as needed.
• Works closely with primary care providers, endocrinologists, nephrologists, cardiologists, and other healthcare professionals to coordinate care and ensure optimal patient outcomes.
• Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings to discuss complex cases and align treatment plans.
• Serves as a resource for medical staff, providing education in nutritional and diabetes management best practices.
• Addresses barriers to care, including health literacy, technology access, and social determinants of health (SDOH), to empower patients in self-management.
• Utilizes interpretation services as needed to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate care.
• Promotes equitable access to diabetes care and medical nutrition therapy for underserved populations in the South Bronx.
• Collaborates with the Director of Ambulatory Nutrition to assess and optimize workflows for nutrition and diabetes education referrals. 
• Contributes to ongoing quality improvement initiatives, such as the ADCES DEAP Diabetes Center of Excellent program, ensuring compliance with accreditation standards.
• Maintain certification requirements to serve as registered dietician and CDES professional.
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Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Food, Nutrition, Dietetics or Nursing.
• At least 2 years of experience as a Registered Dietician, preferrable with some experience counseling children and adolescents. 
• Certified Diabetes Care Education Specialist and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
• Current BCLS certifcation.