San Benito Health Care District

Job Summary:

The Registered Dietitian/Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) is responsible for delivering high quality, evidence-based Diabetes Self-Management Education and Training (DSME/T) to individuals and groups. Services are provided in accordance with the Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice, and Standards of Professional Performance for Diabetes Educators (AADE, 2009), with a strong focus on empowering patients to effectively manage their diabetes through informed decision-making, behavior change, and active participation in their care.

This position plays a key role in the care of patients with all types of diabetes, including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The ideal candidate will have completed Sweet Success training and certification and possess demonstrated experience in counseling and educating patients with GDM. Responsibilities include developing individualized care plans, providing nutritional counseling, collaborating with interdisciplinary providers, and guiding patients in self-care behaviors and problem-solving skills.

The Registered Dietitian/CDE also ensures compliance with national DSME/T standards and supports a patient-centered, culturally competent approach to diabetes education and chronic disease management.

Duties/Responsibilities:

•    Collaboratively collects assessment data from DSME/T program participants, develops individualized educational goals and content plans, and actively integrates DSME/T into the overall patient care plan through coordination with providers, case managers, and the care team.
•    Provides skill-based, collaborative educational interventions that emphasize active patient engagement and interactive learning methods.
•    Provides medical nutrition therapy (MNT) tailored to individuals with diabetes, including carbohydrate counting, label reading, meal planning, and lifestyle modification strategies.
•    Collaboratively develops an individualized follow-up plan with each program participant.
•    Specializes in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) management, including instruction in blood glucose monitoring, insulin administration (if applicable), and nutritional strategies aligned with Sweet Success guidelines.
•    Serves as a resource for staff and patients regarding current diabetes care guidelines, trends, and evidence-based practices.
•    Leads or assists with community outreach and education initiatives, including classes, workshops, and support groups to promote diabetes awareness and prevention.

•    Ensures patient education materials are culturally and linguistically appropriate, especially for underserved and rural populations.
•    Evaluates the effectiveness of educational services provided by measuring the attainment of learning objectives.
•    Conducts a follow-up assessment upon completion of DSME/T program services, using outcome measures.
•    Documents assessment data, educational plan, educational services provided and evaluation results in each participant's educational records.
•    Utilizes a collaborative team-based approach and communicates with staff and interdisciplinary team as needed.
•    Identifies when a program participant’s needs are outside the scope of the instructor's practice and expertise, plus arranges for additional services to meet needs.
•    Participates in the development of training materials.
•    Contributes to and participates in continuous quality improvement efforts to evaluate the DSME/T program and identify opportunities for enhancement.
•    Engages in self-assessment and peer review processes to support professional growth, identify improvement opportunities, and maintain quality education standards.
•    Is knowledgeable in the use of PC and applications specific to the department. Demonstrates ability to use current EHR technology and information systems to enhance data collection and documentation.
•    Attends mandatory staff meetings and other department or organizational meetings as directed.

Required Skills/Abilities:

•    Displays sensitivity and responsiveness to patients’ culture, age, gender, and disabilities. Demonstrates emotional resilience and stability, adaptability, flexibility, and tolerance of ambiguity and anxiety.
•    Commitment to personal excellence and ongoing professional growth and education.
•    Ensures the quality and timely completion of work.
•    Uses effective listening, nonverbal, explanatory, interviewing and writing skills to elicit and provide information.
•    Mentor, train, and provide ongoing guidance to new staff members, ensuring proficiency in their roles, familiarity with office procedures, and promoting a positive and collaborative work environment helping co-workers to grow and succeed through feedback and positive encouragement.
•    Excellent attendance record and is punctual for all shifts scheduled.
•    Adheres to a standard of professionalism and courtesy at all times, fostering positive rapport and collaborative working relationships with providers, referral sources, patients/families, staff, and peers.
•    Maintains patient confidentiality at all times in compliance with HIPAA Standards.
•    Demonstrates ability to use current language line. 
•    Completes annual educational and Employee Health requirements.
•    Reviews and complies with all new and revised department and hospital policies. 
•    Displays proficiency in accessing electronic, and hospital-wide policy and procedure manual and Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
•    Ensures compliance with Regulatory Standards including but not limited to hospital and department specific policies and procedures, fire, safety, infection control, OSHA, Federal, State, Title 22 and The Joint Commission (TJC).
•    Promotes and adheres to established SBHC Core Values & Standards of Behavior communicating and representing the organizations Mission, Values, and Vision in a positive and professional manner in the department and community.
•    Adherence to all organizational policies encompassing ethical business practices, standards of behavior, harassment, attendance, and safety. Demonstrates competence in fulfilling duties and responsibilities aligned with the San Benito Health Care District’s Corporate Compliance Program.

Education and Experience:

•    Registered Dietitian (RD) credential, licensed to practice in California.
•    Maintains certification and continuing education in diabetes education, nutrition therapy, and GDM care to ensure best practice and compliance with Sweet Success program standards.
•    Must have CDE certification. Must meet all legal requirements, including minimum age of 18 years.
•    A healthcare professional who is also a Certified Diabetes Educator, providing diabetes education in both a group and 1:1 setting. Must have 15 contact hours within the past year in diabetes and diabetes clinical and educational subject (as approved by the NCBDE).
•    An in depth knowledge about current diabetes treatment management. The ability to lead and effectively manage groups and to develop a collaborative, therapeutic alliance with individuals.
•    Must have or obtain in within 12 months of employment, Sweet Success training.
•    Must have basic computer skills (use of internet, email, Microsoft Word), and be able to become proficient with using the Hospital’s electronic medical record systems.
•    Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence, using proper grammar and spelling.
•    MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
•    REASONING ABILITY: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.