GENERAL SUMMARY

Under general supervision, develops therapeutic diet plans for patients in accordance with physician’s orders.  Meets with patients and families in order to assist in menu selection as needed.  Provides for conformity to dietary plan.

Consistently demonstrates support of the RIC statement of Mission and Philosophy by striving for excellence, contributing to the team efforts and showing respect and compassion for patients and their families, fellow employees, and all others with whom there is contact at or in the interest of the institute.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assesses and evaluates patient’s nutritional needs based on physician’s orders, conferences with health team, clinical data and patients nutritional history in order to plan and implement a proper dietary program.
2. Demonstrates competency in understanding the growth and development of infant, child, adolescent and geriatric patients as measured by specific performance standards and as described by department/unit policies and procedures.  Demonstrates the ability to interpret growth and development related information to ensure patient needs are met.
3. Instructs and informs groups or individual patients and/or their families regarding diet therapy to be utilized at the Institute or as an outpatient.
4. Coordinates nutritional care given by the hostesses and diet clerks.
5. Participates in the Department’s Quality Assurance programs by collecting and analyzing data which evaluates dietary service for conformance to quality standards.
6. Establishes and implements Department’s clinical policies and procedures that correlate clinical services with timely production services.
7. Acts as liaison between patient units, production kitchen and diet office as needed.
8. Provides nutrition education and training programs for appropriate hospital personnel, dietetic students and the community.
9. Perform all other duties that may be assigned in the best interest of RIC.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

1. May review patient menus for accuracy and nutritional adequacy as needed.  Offers suggestions to patients regarding menu selections as necessary.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

1. Reports to Chief Clinical Dietitian.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES REQUIRED

1. Must be a registered dietician with the American Dietetic Association or be eligible for registration.
2. Requires approximately one month of on-the-job experience in order to gain thorough knowledge of Department policies and procedures and learn the Institute’s therapeutic dietary functions.
3. Requires analytical skills necessary to interpret physician’s orders, assess patient condition, plan suitable diet and evaluate patient responses.
4. Requires interpersonal skills necessary to communicate with patients, families, employees and medical staff in explaining and providing nutritional care.
5. Ability to interpret, evaluate and utilize current research to ensure provision of quality nutritional care and follow-up.

WORKING CONDITIONS

1. Normal office or patient environment with little exposure to excessive noise, dust, temperature and the like.
2. Occasional (less than ten percent of work time) exposure to contagious diseases or infection from patient contact procedures that correlate clinical services with timely production services.
3. Acts as liaison between patient units, production kitchen and diet office as needed.
4. Provides nutrition education and training programs for appropriate hospital personnel, dietetic students and the community.

Required Skills Required Experience