Job opening: Dietitian (Clinical)

Salary: $69 107 - 89 835 per year

Published at: Jul 10 2023

Company: Veterans Health Administration

Employment Type: Full-time

Dietitian (Clinical) is part of the Clinical Section of the Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) serving as the medical nutrition expert. The Dietitian (Clinical) interprets research and utilize whole health principles to develop patient-centered goals and improve the overall health of our Veterans.

Duties

Major Duties: Conducts comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP), including nutrition focused physical examinations, to establish a nutrition diagnosis and determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition Develops and implements Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address the nutrition diagnosis, evaluates and monitors the effectiveness and outcomes of MNT interventions. Modifies the plan as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes Calculates nutrient requirements and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions tailoring the diet prescription to each individual patient Documents MNT in the medical record using he Assessment, Diagnosis, Intervention, Monitoring, Evaluation (ADIME) format Identifies patients in need of nutritional support and recommends the appropriate mode of support and communicates appropriately with the health care team Maintains accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and completes patient encounters using approved systems Ensures continuous improvement of safe and quality care of Veterans Collaborates with the Food Operations Section and department leadership to enhance the Veterans' dining experience, support patient satisfaction, and serve as a liaison between clinical units and the Food Operations Section May perform other related duties as assigned which are appropriate for this grade and assignment Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:00am - 4:30pm) Compressed/Flexible:Not available Telework: This position is only authorized to telework on an occasional or situational (ad-hoc) basis Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: PD99529-S/Dietitian (Clinical)-GS-0630-11 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not available Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not available PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not available Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7407(a). Registration: All applicants must hold the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (ADA). Note: Applicants who hold the RDN credential have met the education requirement (e.g. bachelor's degree or higher) of CDR, as such this occupation is considered professional and scientific with a positive education requirement and the procedures in Part I, Chapter 4 of this Handbook will be followed when applying Veteran's preference. Exception for Dietitians who do not possess the RDN credential: Non-credentialed Dietitians who meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below, but do not possess the RDN credential, may be given a temporary full-time appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2). Non-credentialed Dietitians must have fulfilled each of the following: Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college, university or foreign equivalent (refer to ii below). Completed an ACEND accredited experiential or supervised practice program and provide a verification statement from the program director that conveys eligibility to take the CDR registration exam as a prospective RDN. A list of ACEND accredited programs is located on the ACEND website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory. Foreign Education: To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND and meet ACEND's International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam. Non-credentialed Dietitians may only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 grade level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential. Non-credentialed Dietitians must provide care under the supervision of a RDN at or above the full performance level. Temporary appointments of non-credentialed Dietitian will not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment. Failure to Obtain Registration: In all cases, Dietitians must actively pursue meeting registration requirements starting from their appointment date. At the time of appointment, servicing Human Resources (HR) staff in collaboration with the supervisor, will provide non-registered Dietitians the written requirement to obtain registration, the date by which they must acquire it and the consequences for not doing so by the deadline. Failure to obtain registration within one year from the date of appointment will result in removal from the Dietitian, GS-0630 occupation and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Credentials: In collaboration with HR Office staff, management officials must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required registration/certification of duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation and/or assignment, which may also result in separation from employment. Current VHA Dietitians that qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision may not be promoted to a higher grade if they do not meet the current RDN/RD requirements. Grandfathering Provision: Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification, where applicable. Employees appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, either on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. The following provisions apply to employees who do not meet all the qualification requirements: Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in a supervisory or managerial position. Employees must meet the assignment-specific certification/education requirements to be placed in Dietitian (Advanced Level Practice) or Dietitian (Dietetic Internship Director) assignments. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or registration/certification that meet all the qualification standard's basic or assignment-specific requirements must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation/assignment. Employees retained in this occupation under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry in the occupation. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. English Language Proficiency: Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). Grade Determinations: GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement: All individuals assigned to this occupation must meet all the basic qualification requirements and all the requirements defined in the specific assignment. At least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-09). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): a) Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). (b) Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. (c) Skill in developing patient-centered goals. (d) Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies. (e) Skill in collaborating with stakeholders. (f) Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities. Assignment. Employees in this assignment serve in a Dietitian (Clinical) full performance level position. Clinical Dietitians conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments for Veterans using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation), assuring high-quality nutrition care. They apply evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines, interpret research and utilize whole health principles to develop patient- centered goals and improve outcomes. Clinical Dietitians also utilize virtual care technology to improve access to care. They are accountable for independent and accurate record keeping, autonomous coverage of daily clinical activities and efficiently completing patient encounters using approved systems. Clinical Dietitians are knowledgeable of and ensure work accomplishments comply with TJC and other accrediting agency standards and ensure continuous improvement of safe and quality care. They collect and analyze data related to performance improvement activities within NFS, lead activities in the implementation of new initiatives References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G20

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

ACEND accredited programs are located on the ACEND website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory.