Registered Dietician

Job Description

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Assessment:

• Performs patient nutrition assessment according to hospital procedure.
• Performs initial nutrition assessment (using age specific computer forms) appropriate to the patient’s clinical presentation/diagnosis, nutritional needs, age, developmental level, cultural and religious orientation per hospital policy and procedures via documentation/charting.
• Identifies and prioritizes the need for further assessment and monitoring of nutritional needs.
• Identifies nutritional risks, appropriate to each patient’s clinical presentation/diagnosis, age, height, weight, nutritional history, clinical lab values, and GI function.
• Performs age-specific comprehensive nutritional assessment upon initiation of nutrition support according to hospital policy and guidelines.
• Verifies written diet order and appropriateness of diet prescribed by the physician upon assessment of the patient.

2. Planning:

• Develops a nutritional care plan that:
• Is individualized for each patient based on assessment of needs that include input from the patient, family, and other multidisciplinary health care team members.
• Identifies specific nutritional needs relevant to assessment findings.
• Involves other multidisciplinary team members and medical staff as needed to help carry out nutritional care plan.

3. Implementation/ Monitoring of Patient Nutrition Care Plan:

• Immediately follows up on patients who have prolonged NPO status as appropriate for age group served, according to hospital policy and procedures.
• Makes appropriate recommendations to physician for nutrition care plan and/or needs.
• Follows up and documents on patients of all age groups on nutrition support to include calculations of current regimen in calorie, protein, and fluid intake, tolerance to current regimen based on clinical data, and nutritional goals, unless patient is stable or on long – term nutrition support according to hospital policy and procedures.
• Conducts patient/family nutrition related education that:
• Is appropriate to the patient’s age, learning needs, level of understanding, and readiness to learn.
• Includes the family/significant others when appropriate.
• Documents nutritional intervention and patient teaching on designated forms.
• Accurately calculates nutrition support regimens as needed and modified diets.
• Monitors and implements nutrition care plan based on nutrition needs and physician orders according to hospital policy and procedures.
• Provides nutrition consultation on patients within 24 hours of physician orders and 48 hours of nursing generated referrals.
• Updates pertinent patient information effectively communicating to fellow dietitian(s) and/or diet clerk(s) the dates the patient is to be followed up on, including any diet preferences and nutritional care plan needs to assist the diet office in daily planning of meals and snacks.

4. Evaluation:

• Evaluates and documents the patient’s response to nutritional teaching/education.
• Effectively evaluates the appropriateness of the patient’s diet order and addresses nutritional recommendations for changes that need to be made with the physician and appropriate multidisciplinary team members.
• Evaluates and recommends nutrition support formulary products appropriate for patients with inadequate oral intake as deemed necessary.
• Evaluates and calculates the calorie, protein, and fluid needs of each patient at moderate to high nutritional risk.
• Evaluates and implements medical nutrition therapy as appropriate for patient’s changing needs including modified diets and nutrition support needs and their effectiveness as observed based on clinical data, weight changes, fluid status, and lab values according to hospital policy and procedures.

5. Critical Thinking Skills/ Leadership Skills:

• Accountable for own conduct and independent decisions made in the course of job performance.
• Participates in department activities designed for improvement of services.
• Acts as preceptor for new health care team members and student Dietitians when asked.
• Provides input for policy/procedure development.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and effective decision-making skills.
• Ability to change priorities based on new assessment data.
• Identifies supplies, equipment, and additional personnel necessary to complete a given assignment.
• Analyzes data collected, weighs alternatives, and implements appropriately.
• Knowledgeable in all aspects of the Diet Clerk position in order to effectively conduct as a leader in decision making areas, as they arise in regard to patient care needs.
• Serves as an educational resource in nutrition to Nursing, physicians, students, and other multidisciplinary team members as needed.

6. Core Competencies:

• Assumes responsibilities for maintaining a high level of clinical expertise and adapts to new information, technology and changing trends in nutrition and medical nutrition therapy.
• Maintain required certifications.
• Participates in journal club 80% of time.
• Attends 80% of RD meetings.
• Completes a minimum of 1 clinical project per year as assigned by Clinical Nutrition Manager and presents completed project at RD meeting.
• Presents pertinent information obtained through any professional educational conference attended at RD meeting.

7. Community Services:

• Represents the Nutritional Services department and/or hospital in public functions as needed.

Education:

• Completion of all academic and supervised practice requirements as set forth by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Commission on Dietetic Registration with a minimum of a master’s degree in food and/or nutrition related field granted by a USDE accredited institution or foreign equivalent.
• Individuals who established eligibility for the registration examination for dietitians on or before December 31, 2023, or those who are already registered will not be required by CDR to obtain a graduate degree.
• Individuals eligible before the graduate degree requirement takes effect will not be required to take the examination before January 1, 2024.

Required Certifications/ Licensure:

• Registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration as a dietitian (RD) or dietitian nutritionist (RDN), and any certifications as may be required by the state.
• Maintains Certification in Food Service Sanitation by the Department of Public Health (Riverside County).

Experience:

• 0 – 5 years of total acute care experience.

Knowledge/ Skills:

• The ability to effectively use office equipment including, but not limited to, computer, fax machine, calculator, copy machine, keyboard, printer, telephone system and other required technology (hardware and software systems).

Work Environment:

• Works in clean, well-lighted, well-ventilated work environment.
• Subject to irregular hours.