Dietician Chandler, Arizona

JOB SUMMARY:

Responsible for the planning and implementation of the nutrition care of the patients in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local standards and regulations, clinical guidelines, and policies and procedures.  Collaborates with Nutritional Services manager to ensure accurate food service is provided to patients.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Leadership

• Completes annual competency testing and maintains professional growth and development portfolio to maintain registration and licensure/certification
• Performs job based on applicable federal, state, and local regulations, company policies and procedures, and evidenced based clinical guidelines
• Performs job within defined Scope of Practice
• Participates in the planning of the department budget
• Participates in planning and creating the hospital’s strategic plan to achieve the mission and vision of the hospital
• Participates in implementing policies and procedures related to nutrition care of the patient
• Participates in the hospital’s performance improvement program by conducting, aggregating, trending, and acting on data for key clinical nutrition indicators
• Annual QAPI department plan is developed with mandatory components. Monthly reports are taken to hospital committee as per facility policy
• Participates in quality assurance activities that ensure oral nutrition therapy is safe and accurate from the culinary department
• Participates in the survey process; instructs staff in matters of conduct and disclosure; maintains a presence at all times while surveyors are on-site and directs the timely collection of information required by the survey team. Undertakes corrective action while survey is in progress, if appropriate; works with other hospital departments to develop survey plan of correction, as needed
• Serves on various committees as required by company standards, regulations, and/or appointment by immediate supervisor

Direct Patient Care

• Conducts initial assessments and reassessments on all patients admitted to the hospital.
• Ensure proper completion of documentation (assessments, care plans, education, discharge planning)
• Prescribes nutrition therapy to meet estimated needs and monitors tolerance
• Provides ongoing reassessment to ensure optimal nutrition therapy is provided
• Participates with interdisciplinary team meetings to develop, implement, and monitor the nutrition care plan
• Interviews patients, family members, legal representatives, and/or significant others to obtain diet history, food preferences, and other pertinent information needed to develop and/or update plan of care
• Advocates for patient to protect and promote patients’ rights, and accommodate individual needs and cultural/religious preferences.
• Involves the patient/family in planning objectives and goals for the patient.
• Conducts nutrition education individually and in classes to patients, families, staff, and community as appropriate.
• Conducts meal rounds to ensure patients are receiving therapy that meets patient’s needs
• Coordinates with culinary department to resolve patients’ concerns or dissatisfactions with diet or meal service.

Menu Management (if Nutritonal Services manager is not a Registered Dietitian, then RD provides the following oversight)

• Provides oversight of the menu management process
• Reviews and approves all patient menus in the facility; must approve any substitutions provided to patients
• Provides oversight for the transcription of diet orders in the department to ensure accuracy.
• Provides oversight to patient snack process to ensure compliance with the diet order and distributed to patients timely.
• Provides training to manager and staff as needed on therapeutic diets and menus, food allergens, or other related topics.
• Is proficient in the menu management software system operations.

Company Specific:

• Adheres to dress code, appearance is neat and clean and wears appropriate identification while on duty
• Completes annual health, safety, and education requirements. Maintains professional growth and development.
• Maintains confidentiality of all patient and/or employee information to assure patient and/or employee rights are protected.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and the skills necessary to provide age appropriate care to the patient population served.
• Reports to work on time as scheduled; adheres to policies regarding notification of absence.
• Attends all mandatory in-services and staff meetings.
• Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner.
• Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.
• Communicates the mission, ethics, and goals of the hospital, as well as the focus statement of the department.
• Maintains current licensure/certification for position, if applicable.
• Consistently demonstrates Guest Relation’s skills to patients, physicians, visitors, employees, and any other individuals with whom they may come in contact.
• Consistently follows departmental and hospital Health, Safety, Security, Hazardous Materials policies and procedures.
• HIPAA: Conduct job responsibilities in accordance with HIPAA privacy laws, follow hospital policy in provision of patient confidentiality. Able to identify patient confidentiality issues and reports to proper hospital personnel immediately.
• Compliance: Conducts job responsibilities in accordance with standards set forth in Kindred’s Code of Conduct, Kindred policy and procedures, applicable federal and state laws, and applicable standards.

Language Skills:

• Able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Additional languages preferred.

Skills:

• Basic computer knowledge.
• Basic equipment knowledge.
• Appropriate telephone communication skills.

Physical and Safety Requirements:

• Good stress coping ability.  No special physical demands are required to perform the work.  Normal walking, standing, sitting, bending, carrying of light items such as books and papers and computer related work.  Ability to clearly and effectively communicate with all constituents (patients, families, peers, and other healthcare team members) as needed for leadership, assessment, intervention, and professional development.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position without compromising patient care.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in dietetics or nutrition related field.
• Registration from the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
• State licensure/certification, if required by state.
• Previous experience in acute care setting, preferred.

Registered dietitians awaiting approval of state licensure/certification may practice under a provisional license if the state licensing board allows.  Provisional dietitians must have all documentation in the medical record co-signed by a state licensed dietitian.