Our team members are the heart of what makes us better.

At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community.

Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

The Diabetes Educator functions as a caregiver for patients with diabetes in order to achieve desired outcomes. The Diabetes Educator is responsible for assessment and education of patients and family members in the MOLLY Diabetes Education Center in the out-patient setting. This position functions in utilizing principles of the nursing process by organizing, delivering, delegating and coordinating nursing care to the assigned patients and their families.

The office is open  Monday- Friday 8 am -4:30 pm, with occasional evenings hours. Certification in diabetes education required (CDCES; Certified Diabetes Education Care and Education Specialist.) for a busy outpatient diabetes education center.

A day in the life of an Diabetes Educator  at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

• Assesses learning needs of individuals with diabetes, develops the plan of care, implements appropriate interventions and evaluates the effectiveness of teaching.
• Interprets and implements the philosophy and objectives of HackensackUMC and the MOLLY Diabetes Center to members of the center's team, medical staff and the other appropriate departments.
• Assesses patient and families with diabetes/medical needs appropriately.
• Specializes in the application of educational theory required for the treatment and management of diabetes.
• Collaborates with other disciplines to provide a team management approach to patient care.
• Participates in multidisciplinary rounds, diabetes team meetings, and other hospital committees related to diabetes.
• Works with physicians, hospital staff, patients and their families to improve understanding and utilization of the most current diabetes self management principles.
• Actively participates in the role as nurse educator for patient/families.
• Provides formal and informal educational programs to patient, families and staff.
• Responsible for inpatient/outpatient diabetes education. Coordinates diabetes education curriculum and activities. Provides direct diabetes education for individuals and groups. 
• Acts as a resource to hospital staff for diabetes related information and materials.
• Functions as a Registered Professional Nurse using the outcome based practice model by demonstrating competency in clinical judgment, select technical skills and appropriate knowledge base.
• Implements care in a knowledgeable, skillful, consistent and continuous manner, utilizing procedures, protocols, standards of care, and education of patients and significant others
• Evaluates effectiveness of care toward desired outcomes in progressing patients toward predefined standards of diabetes care. 
• Performs documentation responsibilities following the outcome-based standards and guidelines for forms used in the Medical Center and the assigned clinical area. 
• Actively seeks to participate in committees and attend designated meetings as a member of the diabetes team/center's representative. 
• Participates in research projects/programs as appropriate.
• Utilizes and participates in current research findings in the care of patients and families following standards of care, policies and procedures and protocols.
• Identifies the needs of the patient populations served and modifies and delivers care that is specific to those needs (i.e., age, culture, hearing and/or visually impaired, etc). This process includes communicating with the patient, parent, and/or primary caregiver(s) at their level (developmental/age, educational, literacy, etc.).
• Adheres to the standards identified in the Medical Center's Organizational Competencies.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• BSN.
• Graduate of an NLN/AACN accredited program in nursing.
• Minimum of two years in diabetes patient care.
• Experience in staff, patient education.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

• Master's Degree.
• Maintain professional continuing educational requirements.
• Ability to relate to physicians, patients, families, and staff.
• Ability to communicate needs to APN/Manager of center in an appropriate manner.
• Actively seeks to advance knowledge in attending appropriate seminars and programs.
• Demonstrates professional investment in the commitment to patient diabetes education and high standards of care.

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• NJ State Professional Registered Nurse License.
• AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification.
• Certified Diabetes Educator. 

If you feel that the above description speaks directly to your strengths and capabilities, then please apply today!