LVN Community Health Educator

Mercy Medical Center a Dignity Health member has been building a rich history of care in our community for more than 100 years. We have grown from a small one-story wooden structure into a major healthcare provider with a new 186-bed main campus offering the latest in facility design and technology. Mercy also operates Outpatient Centers a Cancer Center and several rural clinics.Wherever you work throughout our system you will find faces of experience with dedication to high quality personalized care. Joining our 1300 employees 230 physicians and many volunteers you can help carry out our commitment to providing our community with the excellence they have come to associate with Mercy Medical Center.

The Community Health Educator LVN possesses and maintains comprehensive knowledge about pre-diabetes diabetes prevention gestational diabetes and management of Type 1 and 2 diabetes Asthma COPD CHR and other chronic conditions. Provides self-management education in the community and the hospital programs. Will incorporate education principles that are current and reflective of evidence-based education and management.

• Assesses individuals including relevant medical, cultural and psycho-social history Provides face to face assessment of individual's knowledge of health condition, self-management skills, and lifestyle related behaviors. Assess, monitor and implement interventions for individuals at various stages of their health condition. Provides ongoing assessment and recommendations to the individual and treatment team for adjustments in the plan of intervention.
  
• Collaborates with the other team members to solve problems, share information and educational tactics Assists with the development and evaluation of educational material used in the group and individual setting Applies evidenced-based research to enhance patient education
  
• Focuses on key areas: taking medications, reducing health risks, healthy dietary habits, increasing physical activity, learning problem-solving skills and learning to cope with the condition. Provide education related to the disease process; medication, diet and nutritional monitoring, prevention and care of complications and self-management skills training. Identifies patient/family/significant other knowledge needs or deficits and provides information in a way that they can comprehend Documents patient/family/significant other response to teaching interventions, progress and outcomes.
  
• Assists and provides follow-up care for patients undergoing diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures or who are having procedures planned for them. Demonstrates understanding of stages of behavior change and ability to counsel individuals on these stages through development of behavior change goals Communicates patient's needs through the appropriate use of referrals to obtain the assistance of other support systems and health care providers.
  
• Evaluates the effectiveness of interventions/actions in relation to intended goals or outcomes. Documents the patient's response to care in relation to expected outcomes. Revises and monitors patient care based on an evaluation of the effectiveness of the intervention. Identifies life threatening situations and communicates patient status accurately. Monitors and takes corrective action as needed to maintain safe working environment for patients and personnel. Organizes attendance records, surveys, questionnaires, intakes and information received in program delivery, outreach events and presentations

Minimum:

• Must Possess and maintain a current Licensed Vocational Nurse license issued by the State of California
• Must possess and maintain a current Basic Life Support (BLS) Certificate
• Must possess and maintain a valid California Driver's license and proof of auto insurance

Preferred:

• At least 2 years previous experience in patient education specific to chronic health conditions
• Bachelor's degree in nursing, public/community/population health or other related field
• Certified Diabetes Educator by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators. Bilingual in English and Spanish