Pediatric Clinical Dietitian

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.

Responsibilities

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; Evaluate, interpret, monitor and document the nutritional status and nutritional needs of hospitalized patients and outpatients using established standards of care and practice guidelines; Review, update, and coordinate 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 provide individual patient nutritional care; Document relevant aspects of nutritional care for patients in accordance with departmental standards in patient medical records; Obtain the patient’s weight, height, and body composition measurements and document in the Electronic Health Record; Identify and provide age-specific nutrition counseling to meet the cultural needs of patients and their families; Educate patients through individual discussions, group classes, and community speaking engagements; Plan, develop, and conduct formal and informal educational programs in nutrition and diet therapy; Precept dietetic interns and provide on the job training for newly hired clinical staff; Guide the Medical Nutrition Therapy Team through education, demonstration, and observation of the Diet Technicians; Review, instruct, and communicate patient’s diet, food allergies, and food preferences and document in computerized system; Compile dietetic information for use by kitchen personnel in food preparation; Adhere to TMC organizational and department-specific safety, confidentiality, values policies and standards; Perform related duties as assigned; NICU: diagnose nutrition-related problems, determine and implement appropriate interventions and monitor and evaluate interventions and outcomes; assist in development and implementation of nutrition protocols and monitoring tools; maintain current knowledge of neonatal nutrition; monitor infant feeding composition, route of feeding and tolerance; provide patient/family formula mixing instructions; Outpatient: provide Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) diet education for adults and pediatrics; assess/evaluate outpatients receiving home tube feedings or need of parenteral nutrition

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; Successful completion of coordinated program or dietetic internship of not less than 900 hours under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian required; Outpatient: One (1) year of clinical or outpatient nutrition experience required; 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; Knowledge of best practices for diet therapies for different needs; Knowledge of scientific rational and application of infant, pediatric, and adult formulas, intravenous feedings and feeding modules (carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals); Skill in assessing personal diet needs and providing advice on how to improve nutritional balance; Skill in the establishment of strong interpersonal working relationships with multidisciplinary teams and support services; Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations; Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals; Ability to effectively present information and respond to inquiries or complaints from employees, patients, and/or their representatives and the general public; Ability to calculate figures and compute rate, ratio and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs and apply basic algebraic concepts; Ability to define problems, collect data and draw valid conclusions; Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables

Nice to have

Master’s degree preferred; One (1) year of experience preferred; NICU: Preferred completion of a neonatal nutrition fellowship and Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition (CSP) or Certified Specialist in Pediatric Critical Care Nutrition (CSPCC)