Do you have compassion and a passion to help others? Transforming healthcare and millions of lives as a result starts with the values you embrace and the passion you bring to achieve your life’s best work.(sm)
WellMed provides concierge - level medical care and service for seniors, delivered by physicians and clinic staff that understand and care about the patient’s health. WellMed’s proactive approach focuses on prevention and the complete coordination of care for patients. WellMed is now part of the Optum division under the greater UnitedHealth Group umbrella.
The RN Clinical Patient Educator is a key educational resource and advocate for patients diagnosed with diabetes and other chronic diseases or significant co-morbidities, their families and caregivers. This RN is responsible for providing specific disease pathophysiology, wellness and prevention information for patients in our clinics. This position interacts and collaborates with a multidisciplinary care team, including physicians, nurses, case managers, social workers and other educators, to develop educational strategies and care management interventions that will assist in maximizing patient outcomes. This RN may also communicate program outcomes to clinic and regional leadership.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Conduct classes to meet the goals and objectives of the enterprise
- Plan, design and implement curricula utilizing established standards and evidence based information and select or create educational material to support effective teaching
- Provide education sessions for patients and their families or caregivers in both group and 1:1 settings
- Demonstrate a well developed understanding of adult education learning principles, presentation skills, stages of behavioral change and group education
- Assess learning needs and health literacy to identify patient knowledge deficits and utilize effective educational techniques
- Evaluate effectiveness of teaching methods and adapt as needed to ensure patient understanding and success
- Promote patient empowerment through the use of motivation, supportive skills, problem-solving and self-management goal setting in a climate of learning and encouragement
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary care team including physicians, nurses, case managers, social workers and Healthcare Coordinators/Managers to identify and recruit appropriate patients for educational programs
- Complete timely and accurate documentation in designated applications to ensure communication of patient status and progress
- Ensure all new initiatives, policies and procedures, guidelines or other necessary updates are incorporated into patient education programs
- Conduct class preparation and presentation in an effective and efficient manner
- Consistently demonstrate effective planning and organization by gathering and preparing all materials and supplies prior to each class
- Seek ways to improve job efficiency and makes appropriate suggestions following proper chain of command
- Communicate patient and program outcome metrics to clinic and regional leadership, collaborate to identify quality and/or process improvement activities
- Perform all other related duties as assigned
Full-Time Field Base Position: This position requires 75 - 100% traveling around the DFW area and counties areas providing key educational resource and advocate for patients diagnosed with diabetes and other chronic diseases within the assigned clinics. Must have reliable transportation.
You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Nursing or Associate’s Degree in Nursing with 4+ years of experience. New Graduate Nurses currently employed by WellMed or USMD may be considered, based on market need. New Graduate Nurses must be enrolled in a Pathways Program specific to this department and successfully complete the Pathways Program within the first six months of employment in the position
- Active and unrestricted RN license in the applicable state
- Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) designation or must obtain certification within 3 years of hire, based on market need
- Current BLS certification or must obtain within 90 days of hire
- Diverse clinical experience with four or more years caring for chronically ill patients with multiple disease conditions
- Proficient computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and ability to master other departmental specific programs/applications
- Ability to read, write and speak fluently in English and Spanish using medical terms, based on market need
- 75% local travel within market
- This position requires Tuberculosis screening as well as proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis through lab confirmation of immunity, documented evidence of vaccination, or a doctor's diagnosis of disease
- Full COVID-19 vaccination is an essential job function of this role. Candidates located in states that mandate COVID-19 booster doses must also comply with those state requirements. UnitedHealth Group will adhere to all federal, state and local regulations as well as all client requirements and will obtain necessary proof of vaccination, and boosters when applicable, prior to employment to ensure compliance. Candidates must be able to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with geriatric population
- Knowledge of ICD-10 and CPT codes related to patient education and understanding of billing requirements, based on market need
- Independent problem identification/resolution and decision making skills
- Ability to prioritize, plan and handle multiple tasks and demands simultaneously
- Possess highly developed planning, organizing, conflict resolution, collaborative and interpersonal skills
Physical and Mental Requirements:
- Ability to lift up to 35 pounds
- Ability to push or pull heavy objects using up to 35 pounds of force
- Ability to sit for extended periods of time
- Ability to stand for extended periods of time
- Ability to use fine motor skills to operate office equipment and/or machinery
- Ability to properly drive and operate a vehicle
- Ability to receive and comprehend instructions verbally and/or in writing
- Ability to use logical reasoning for simple and complex problem solving
To protect the health and safety of our workforce, patients and communities we serve, UnitedHealth Group and its affiliate companies require all employees to disclose COVID-19 vaccination status prior to beginning employment. In addition, some roles and locations require full COVID-19 vaccination, including boosters, as an essential job function. UnitedHealth Group adheres to all federal, state and local COVID-19 vaccination regulations as well as all client COVID-19 vaccination requirements and will obtain the necessary information from candidates prior to employment to ensure compliance. Candidates must be able to perform all essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Failure to meet the vaccination requirement may result in rescission of an employment offer or termination of employment
Careers with WellMed. Our focus is simple. We're innovators in preventative health care, striving to change the face of health care for seniors. We're impacting 550,000+ lives, primarily Medicare eligible seniors in Texas and Florida, through primary and multi-specialty clinics, and contracted medical management services. We've joined Optum, part of the UnitedHealth Group family of companies, and our mission is to help the sick become well and to help patients understand and control their health in a lifelong effort at wellness. Our providers and staff are selected for their dedication and focus on preventative, proactive care. For you, that means one incredible team and a singular opportunity to do your life's best work.(sm)
WellMed was founded in 1990 with a vision of being a physician-led company that could change the face of healthcare delivery for seniors. Through the WellMed Care Model, we specialize in helping our patients stay healthy by providing the care they need from doctors who care about them. We partner with multiple Medicare Advantage health plans in Texas and Florida and look forward to continuing growth.
At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.