Dietician

JOB SUMMARY:

Under general direction, performs a variety of professional duties in order to provide optimum nutrition support and to pursue new knowledge in nutrition support. Responsibilities will include nutrition assessment, therapeutic planning, implementation, monitoring and documentation of resident’s response to nutrition support. Demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to provide care to age group(s) served. Performs other related duties as requested by authorized personnel.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Assist in developing preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the dietary needs (for meals, nourishments, fluids, restrictions, etc.) of each resident.

2. Assist in developing a written dietary plan of care that identifies the dietary problems/ needs of the resident and the goals to be accomplished for each dietary problem/need identified.

3. Observe nursing care and reviews nursing notes to determine if the dietary care plan is being followed.

4. Review and revise care plans and assessments as necessary.

5. Assess new residents between the 7th and 14th day after admission and complete necessary forms.

6. Discuss with physicians and nurses resident’s needs and response to diets.

7. Prepare monthly report of dietary department, in conjunction with the dietary manger/supervisor.

8. Assess resident needs for nutrition at discharge.

9. Reviews therapeutic diets for appropriateness.

10. Reviews charts of residents with significant changes, naso-gastric tubes, pressure sores, etc. for appropriateness.

11. Follow-up regarding diet changes with the dietary department.

12. Performs and documents a sanitation inspection of the dietary department minimally once a month.

13. Reviews dietary department monitor reports (temp, cleanliness, storage, accuracy, etc.)

14. Work with dietary staff to ensure proper meal preparation, serving, distribution, etc.

15. Provides monthly dietitian report to the Director of General Services and acts as a resource to him/her and the dietary department.

16. Performs other related duties as requested by authorized personnel.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Must have knowledge of nutrition,diet needs and nutritional therapy at a level normally acquired through completion of a Bachelor's degree in Dietetics, with successful completion of an internship or equivalent experience, and attainment of national registration through the Commission on Dietetic Registration within one year of hire, in order to gain the necessary technical expertise to effectively provide for patients nutrient needs.

2. Approximately six (6) months of related healthcare experience necessary in order to gain thorough knowledge of nutritional and therapeutic values of food and meals, and learn hospital and department therapeutic functions .

3. Must possess the guest relation and interpersonal skills necessary to interact effectively with patients, families, employees and medical staff.

4. Must have the analytical skills necessary in order to interpret physician orders, assess patient conditions, plan good nutritional care and evaluate patient responses.

5. Ability to concentrate and pay close attention to detail for up to fifty (50) percent of work time when reviewing physician orders, assessing patient nutritional states, preparing medical nutrition therapy plans and evaluating patient responses.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics.

2. Sufficient post graduate experience in healthcare to perform medical nutrition therapy functions for acute care and critical care hospital patients. e.g. assessing and recommending appropriate medical nutritional therapy for specific problematic cases.

3. Speak and understand English.

4. Read and write English.

5. Be mobile enough to maneuver throughout the facility into patient rooms and to caregiver pods.