Overview
Job Summary
Provides nutrition services and participates in department performance improvement activities including customer satisfaction and adheres to the guidelines and time frames of the Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist Clinical Ladder. Ensures patient/client satisfaction, quality care, regulatory agency compliance and good public relations are achieved through safe and efficient use of resources.
Essential Functions
- Assesses and monitors nutritional status of patients/clients and adjusts nutritional care as indicated utilizing current scientific literature on methodology and relates this information to medical status, anthropometric data, clinical assessment, and nutrition evaluation of the patient/client.
- Provides medical nutrition therapy (MNT)/counseling including assessment and education, developing, monitoring, and implementing MNT/counseling for patients/clients in assigned areas. Completes consults and referrals as received.
- Communicates with physicians, nurses, and others to coordinate nutrition into a total patient/client therapy program.
- Completes all required documentation including nutritional care plan, assessments, consultations, nutrient intake analyses and patient/client education in all required documentation tools in a timely, professional, and thorough manner.
- Provides and assesses effectiveness of patient/client and family education. Develops, evaluates, and utilizes appropriate education materials. Learning needs are identified using methods appropriate to each learner’s developmental and educational level; evaluates and documents learner response to teaching.
- Provides/develops periodic in-services on selected topics to team members and other disciplines as requested. In-service development for residents and attending physicians is supervised by clinical manager or designee.
- Under the guidance of the manager or designee, participates in basic skills orientation, training, and mentoring of team members and dietetic interns as applicable.
- Teaches and disseminates results and findings of nutrition research to medical team members, nursing, pharmacy, patients, and public.
- Communicates with multidisciplinary departments on patient/client care and issues, including performance feedback on personnel when requested or applicable to ensure standards of excellence are met for customer satisfaction.
Physical Requirements
Must be able to give and receive verbal communications on a continuous basis. Must be able to read written communications on a continuous basis both hard copy and on a computer screen. Able to compose written communications frequently. Able to lift and carry objects weighing 25 pounds or less occasionally. Able to perform motor skills as reaching out/up. Frequent periods of walking, standing, sitting. Infrequently squatting, twisting, and bending.
Education, Experience and Certifications
Bachelor’s degree required. RD/LDN registry eligible or Registered Dietitian (Commission on Dietetic Registration) and Licensed by the NC Board of Dietetics and Nutrition required. If RD/LDN registry eligible, RD/LDN registered required within 4 months of hire. Specialty certification (i.e., CDCES, CNSC, AND Certifications) may be required. Department managers determine requirements for specialty certifications relevant to the position and the timeframe required to obtain.
Patient Population Served
Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development and demonstrates the skills and competency appropriate to the ages, culture, developmental stages, and special needs of the population served.