Job Description
SUMMARY:
Collaborate as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team to provide patients high quality medical nutrition therapy following the Nutrition Care Process. Coordinate all phases of nutrition care including nutrition assessment, care planning, monitoring, education and counseling of hospitalized patients and outpatients in a variety of settings. Provides professional advice on therapeutic diets, instructs patients and/or families, coordinates with nursing staff, physicians, and other medical staff and facilities on the nutrition evaluation and plan of patients.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Evaluate, interpret, monitor and document the nutritional status and nutritional needs of hospitalized patients and out patients using established standards of care and practice guidelines.
Reviews, updates, and coordinates patient nutritional care and protocol implementation through on-going communication and conference participation with nursing and other interdisciplinary staff.
Identify patients at nutritional risk based on established criteria and provides individual patient nutritional care.
Documents relevant aspects of nutritional care for patients in accordance with departmental standards in patient medical records.
Obtains the patients weight, height, and body compositions measurements (when applicable). This is documented in the Electronic Health Record.
Identify and provide age-specific nutrition counseling to meet the cultural needs of the patients and their families. Educates patients through individual discussions, group classes, and community speaking engagements.
Plans, develops, and conducts formal and informal educational programs in nutrition and diet therapy as well as functions as a nutritional resource physicians, nursing, students, and other healthcare professionals
Precept dietetic interns and provide on the job training for newly hired clinical staff.
Guides the Medical Nutrition Therapy Team through education, demonstration, and observation of the Diet Technicians.
Reviews, instructs, and communicates patients diet, food allergies, and food preferences and documents in computerized system.
Compiles dietetic information for use by kitchen personnel in food preparation.
Adheres to TMC organizational and department-specific safety, confidentiality, values policies and standards.
Performs related duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION: Bachelors degree required. Masters degree preferred. Successful completion of coordinated program or dietetic internship of not less than 900 hours under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian required.
EXPERIENCE: No experience required. One (1) year of experience preferred.
LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION: Current registration as a dietitian (RD/RDN) with the Commission of Dietetic Registration required. Candidates eligible for registration must achieve registration within 6 months of the date of hire.