GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Diet Technician assists the Clinical Dietitian (the “Registered Dietitian”) in evaluating a participant’s current nutritional status by collecting data and conducting interviews with the participant and/or participants designated representative. Provides diet education under the direction of the Registered Dietitian. Assists in quality assurance audits such as tray audits, orders tracking audits, weight tracking, and tray card audits. Maintains and updates documentation in the Electronic Medical Record. Works with members of the Interdisciplinary Team to facilitate the nutrition plan of care as designated by the Registered Dietitian.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Responsible for conducting interviews with participant and/or designated representative in person and/or via telephone to obtain information regarding food preferences, food allergies/aversions, eating habits, food preparation methods and accessibility, oral intake, weight changes, physical activity, and dietary supplementation.
2. Documents follow-up notes (wound updates, fall occurrences, weight changes, home-delivered meals, dietary supplementation, diet educational note, case conferences, fax confirmations) in the Electronic Medical Record in which the Registered Dietitian will review and sign for approval.
3. Facilitates Registered Dietitian interventions such as diet education and weight monitoring and documents interaction in the Electronic Medical Record.
4. Responsible for auditing, maintaining, and updating records for all Dietary orders processed in the electronic medical record.
5. Assist Personal Care staff with distributing meal trays when needed, and addresses participant requests during mealtime regarding food substitutions and/or extra servings.
6. Provides cross-coverage for the Diet Technician position at all three Centers as needed.
7. Complies with Organization HIPAA and confidentiality requirements.
8. Responsible for attending monthly staff meetings and any other meetings deemed necessary by the Organization and/or the department.
9. Participates in annual skills training and other nutrition-related in-servicing provided by the Clinical Registered Dietitian as needed.
10. Other duties or special projects as assigned by the Registered Dietitian or PACE Center Director.

Required Skills

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

1. Must be able to speak fluently as well as read and write in both Spanish and English in order to communicate and educate participants and/or designated representative.
2. Ability to problem solve effectively.
3. Ability to work well as a member of the Interdisciplinary Team.
4. Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office to include Outlook. Must be able to create, edit, send, upload and download documents and forms.
5. Comfortable conducting phone and face-to-face interviews with the geriatric population and/or designated representatives.
6. Excellent organizational and time management skills.

Required Experience

QUALIFICATIONS / REQUIREMENTS:

1. High School Diploma. Prefer Nutrition and Dietetic Technician Registered (NDTR), or Degree in Nutrition from an ACEND-Accredited University.
2. Require a minimum one year experience working with the frail or elderly population.
3. Prefer basic working knowledge of medical nutrition therapy and medical terminology.
4. Require CPR certification.
5. Require Food Handler’s Card.
6. Current TB test results.
7. Require Bilingual in English/Spanish.
8. Must have reliable transportation to assigned Center as well as other Centers to provide cross-coverage as needed.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

1. Must be able to speak fluently as well as read and write in both Spanish and English in order to communicate and educate participants and/or designated representative.
2. Ability to problem solve effectively.
3. Ability to work well as a member of the Interdisciplinary Team.
4. Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office to include Outlook. Must be able to create, edit, send, upload and download documents and forms.
5. Comfortable conducting phone and face-to-face interviews with the geriatric population and/or designated representatives.
6. Excellent organizational and time management skills.