Clinical Diabetes Educator, Nutrition - Joslin Diabetes

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.

The Clinical Diabetes Educator - Nutrition provides state of the art diabetes self-management education (DSME) and nutrition education, in a variety of settings, to persons with diabetes (PWD) and their families/care-partners, helping to optimize their diabetes management.
Key Duties:

• Provide education and support to individuals diagnosed with diabetes, empowering them to effectively manage their condition and improve their overall health.
• Promotes and disseminates quality diabetes care and nutrition information to patients, professionals, and the public following established Clinic Division guidelines.
• Collaborate with other educators in identifying needs, developing and providing clinical programs and services.
• Participates in the development of education curricula and materials by writing original material and/or reviewing the work of others.
• Mentors less experienced staff, dietetic interns and nutrition professionals.

Job Description:

Essential Responsibilities of the Job:

DIABETES EDUCATION: 

1.    Patient Education: Provide comprehensive education on diabetes, its management, and lifestyle modifications to individuals and their families.

2.    Assessment: Conduct assessments to determine patients' specific needs, risk factors, and readiness to make lifestyle changes.
3.    Care Planning: Develop individualized diabetes management plans, including dietary recommendations, exercise routines, medication management, and glucose monitoring.
4.    Medication Management: Assist with medication management and dosage adjustments in coordination with healthcare providers.
5.    Diabetes Technology Management: Providing training and support to patients and healthcare professionals on the proper use and management of diabetes technologies, including insulin pump trainings, and continuous glucose monitor initiation, placement, and interpretation. 
6.    Monitoring: Monitor and track patients' progress, glucose levels, and adherence to treatment plans.
7.    Counseling: Offer emotional support and behavioral counseling to patients, helping them cope with the psychological aspects of living with diabetes.
8.    Group Sessions: Lead group education sessions on diabetes management, nutrition, and exercise.
9.    Resource Management: Provide information about available resources, such as support groups, community programs, and financial assistance for diabetes-related needs.
10.    Health Promotion: Promote preventive measures to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications, such as foot care and eye examinations.
11.    Specialty Clinics: With support from the clinic, engage in specialized training to enhance the care provided to the unique and diverse populations seen within Joslin Diabetes Center. 
12.    Research: Participate in research efforts within the education department and contribute to ongoing research efforts within the clinic. 
13.    Team Collaboration: Work collaboratively with physicians, nurses, dietitians, and other healthcare professionals to ensure coordinated patient care.
14.    Professional Development: Stay current with the latest research, treatment options, and technology in diabetes care through continuing education and training.
15.    Phone Triage: On a rotating on-call basis, assesses urgent patient clinical needs and concerns, utilizing clinical knowledge and triage protocols to make appropriate recommendations for immediate care or further care necessitating provider involvement.
16.    Documentation: Timely documents and processes medical records and billing according to Joslin Policy and Procedures and the National Education Standards of Care/American Diabetes Association Education Recognized Program standards.  
17.    All other duties as assigned. 

NUTRITION EDUCATION: 

1.    Applies nutrition care process and DSME education of Persons with Diabetes (PWD) and families, in a variety of settings, encouraging the team approach to diabetes management, according to Joslin policies and standards. 
2.    Nutritional Assessment: Conduct comprehensive assessments of patients, taking into account food or nutrition-related history, biochemical data, anthropometric measurements, nutrition-focused physical findings and client history, to determine the appropriate nutrition intervention.
3.    Individualized Meal Plans: Develop customized, evidence-based meal plans that align with patients' medical conditions, lifestyle, and cultural considerations.
4.    Glucose Management: Educate patients on the impact of food choices on glucose levels and provide strategies for glycemic control.
5.    Nutrition Education: Offer patient education on diabetes nutrition, based on their learning needs, healthy literacy and nutrition goals. Topics may include basic or advanced carbohydrate counting, portion control, label reading, glycemic index, and meal timing.
6.    Monitoring and Evaluation: Regularly review patient progress, adjust meal plans as necessary, and track outcomes to achieve glycemic control and overall health improvement.
7.    Lifestyle Modification: Assist patients in adopting healthy lifestyle changes beyond nutrition, including physical activity, sleep quality, and stress management.
8.    Nutrition Workshops: Lead group nutrition education sessions, workshops, and support groups within the clinic and at community partner sites.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION:

1.    Needs Assessment: Conduct needs assessments to identify gaps and determine the educational needs of learners and stakeholders.
2.    Curriculum Design: Works directly with clinic and center staff to develop and implement original clinical and community education programs that service patients, professionals and the community. 
3.    Content Creation: Create, update, and curate educational materials, including handouts, presentations for patients and staff, assessments, and other relevant resources.
4.    Food Safety: Supports the implementation of food safety and sanitation programs in compliance with state and federal regulations.
5.    Learning Objectives: Define clear learning objectives and outcomes for each curriculum or course, ensuring alignment with educational standards.
6.    Alignment with Standards: Ensure that the curriculum complies with educational standards, industry best practices, and relevant regulations.
7.    Instructional Design: Utilize instructional design principles to create engaging and effective learning experiences, incorporating various teaching methods and technologies.
8.    Quality Assurance: Continuously assess and improve the quality of educational content through feedback, data analysis, and evaluation.
9.    Research: Participates in outcome research of clinical diabetes education programs

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT:

1.    Maintains professional registration and certification.  
2.    Remain current with the latest research, treatment options, and technology in diabetes care through continuing education and training.
3.    Attend relevant conferences as staffing and budget allow. 
4.    Contributes to department goals for outreach and increased visibility by maintaining active involvement in professional organizations (such as contributing to newsletters and articles, delivering lectures, and contributing to development and implementation of workshops).

Minimum education required

• Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition or Dietetics

Minimum experience required

• Minimum three years ‘experience as a registered dietitian, preferably one year in diabetes care and education/counseling of patients with chronic disease

Licensure and/or Certification required:

• Registered with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• Registered Dietitian (RD) and/or Registered  Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), Massachusetts License

Knowledge, skills and abilities required

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite applications
• Excellent written and oral communication – including public speaking
• Must be detail oriented, and self-directed, with the ability to plan, organize, and execute multiple responsibilities through completion.
• May require some travel.

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, Public Health, or other related field.
• Certified Diabetes Education Specialist strongly preferred (if not currently a CDCES, candidate is required to sit for exam within 12 months of eligibility)
• Experience training in the use of diabetes technology
• Bilingual - ability to speak Spanish a plus

All employees of Joslin Diabetes Center are dedicated to improving the lives of people with diabetes and other endocrine disorders and the overarching mission of preventing, treating and curing diabetes. As such, each discipline functions as a member of the JoslinCare Team. This multi-disciplinary approach includes but is not limited to  physicians, nurse practitioners certified diabetes educators who are nurses, nutri