Certified Diabetes Care, Education Specialist-Diabetes Nutrition Crystal Lake Full Time Days

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare • Crystal Lake, IL

22d

About The Position

The Diabetes Care and Education Specialist is a skilled professional clinician who is a Registered Nurse or Registered Dietitian with competence in diabetes and lifestyle medicine. The specialist works cooperatively and communicates effectively within a multidisciplinary framework to promote holistic care for patients and families, demonstrating self-direction, strong problem-solving skills, and initiative as a clinician, educator, and consultant.

This is a full-time, salaried position working 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. The role reflects Northwestern Medicine’s mission, vision, and values and requires adherence to its Code of Ethics, Corporate Compliance Program, applicable policies and procedures, and regulatory and accreditation standards. The specialist provides and coordinates direct patient care and consultation, develops and delivers diabetes education, supports professional practice and staff development, and facilitates research and quality improvement related to diabetes and lifestyle medicine.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree in an accredited nutrition- or nursing-related field.
• Current licensure as a Registered Dietitian or Registered Nurse in Illinois.
• Willingness to sit for the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) exam within or after two years of hire.
• Current Basic Life Support certification at the healthcare provider level.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of experience in diabetes care and education.
• Expertise in diabetes technology.
• Master’s degree in nursing, nutrition, counseling, or a related field.
• Experience with insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct patient care and consultation using in-depth clinical knowledge and skills in diabetes.
• Establish diabetes education standards and develop policies and procedures that support quality, comprehensive, and coordinated care.
• Serve as a diabetes consultant to other disciplines.
• Receive and assess referrals from referring providers.
• Consult with multidisciplinary teams to develop, implement, and evaluate care for patients and families.
• Educate patients and families on self-management skills to support chronic disease management and wellness.
• Collaborate with the Patient Education Department and provide diabetes-specific patient education resources.
• Document patient care activities in patient medical records.
• Advocate for patients and their significant others, coworkers, the community, and the healthcare profession.
• Promote collaborative practice and demonstrate accountability, compassion, and professional conduct.
• Maintain regulatory and mandatory requirements and pursue a personal development plan and education or certification related to the clinical specialty.
• Support and model personal wellness.
• Serve as a patient advocate and role model for the “Patients First” principle.
• Mentor staff to support quality healthcare practices.
• Participate in unit, departmental, divisional, or hospital committees and task forces.
• Consult with management on assessment, problem solving, decision making, and evaluation of clinical or system issues.
• Participate in programs to meet continuing education requirements.
• Provide formal diabetes education to internal and external groups.
• Develop, present, and modify educational materials to support specific educational and behavioral goals and individual patient needs.
• Facilitate research-based practice in diabetes and lifestyle medicine.
• Collect and document quality management and outcomes research data.
• Participate in research related to diabetes and lifestyle medicine.

Benefits

• Tuition reimbursement
• Loan forgiveness
• 401(k) matching
• Benefits supporting physical, emotional, and financial well-being, and protection for unexpected life events

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time