CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT & DIABETES EDUCATOR RN

McDonough District Hospital•Macomb, IL

12h

About The Position

The Chronic Disease Management & Diabetes Educator RN serves as a clinical resource, educator, care coordinator, and program partner for patients in inpatient and outpatient settings. The position provides individualized, evidence-based education and counseling to patients and families, with a focus on diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) and broader chronic disease education. The educator supports patients during hospitalization, discharge, transitions to the next level of care, and ongoing outpatient follow-up. The RN collaborates with physicians, nursing staff, ancillary departments, rehabilitation, transitional care, home health and hospice, community resources, and other interdisciplinary team members. The role assesses learning and discharge needs; develops patient-centered education plans; coordinates follow-up services; reinforces medication and self-management plans; and helps reduce avoidable complications and readmissions. For diabetes services, the educator supports the planning, implementation, evaluation, quality oversight, and maintenance of applicable national standards and recognition requirements for the DSMES program.

Requirements

Current Illinois Registered Nurse license.
Academic and/or experiential preparation in the care and education of people with chronic disease is required or strongly preferred based on program needs.
Comprehensive knowledge and skill in current nursing practice and evidence-based patient education.
Ability to assess and interpret clinical information and educate people of varying ages, backgrounds, cultures, health literacy levels, and levels of understanding.
Ability to apply teaching and learning principles and adapt education to the learner.
Strong verbal, non-verbal, written, interpersonal, and customer-service communication skills.
Organizational, time-management, prioritization, problem-solving, and program coordination skills.
Ability to coordinate multiple tasks and work effectively with multiple services and disciplines.
Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and function effectively in a team environment.
Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with patients, families, physicians, colleagues, and community partners.
Ability to exercise leadership, flexibility, professional judgment, compassion, and respect in patient-care situations.
Proficient computer skills and ability to document accurately in the electronic medical record.
Ability to relate professionally and compassionately to ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and otherwise vulnerable patients in hospital and community settings.
Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, effective communication, commitment to excellence and continuous improvement, respect for individual differences, confidentiality and privacy, teamwork, patient safety, and compliance with organizational policies and standards.

Nice To Haves

Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) or Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE) certification.
BSN from an accredited school of nursing; a related college degree may be considered as applicable to organizational requirements.
Two to four years of relevant and recent nursing experience.
Previous nursing or patient education experience.
Academic and/or experiential preparation in program management.

Responsibilities

Provide individualized, evidence-based education and counseling to patients and families about diabetes self-management and other chronic diseases.
Support patients throughout hospitalization, discharge, transitions to the next level of care, and ongoing outpatient follow-up.
Collaborate with physicians, nursing staff, ancillary departments, rehabilitation, transitional care, home health and hospice, community resources, and other interdisciplinary team members.
Assess patient learning and discharge needs and develop patient-centered education plans.
Coordinate follow-up services and reinforce medication and self-management plans.
Help reduce avoidable complications and readmissions.
Support planning, implementation, evaluation, quality oversight, and maintenance of applicable national standards and recognition requirements for the DSMES program.
Maintain certifications in areas of expertise when required by the program or organization, CPR certification, and required hospital-wide and department-specific education and competencies.
Complete orientation and hospital-wide and department-specific computerized learning requirements.
Document accurately in the electronic medical record and comply with organizational policies and standards.