This position is in the Food & Nutrition Service Line located at the VA Fayetteville Coastal Healthcare System within VISN 6 Mid-Atlantic Healthcare Network. The incumbent serves as the Clinical Dietitian as a medical nutrition expert. S/he supports the facility's mission and coordinates nutritional care with other healthcare providers , the client, the client's family and the community.

Duties

The major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Conducts a comprehensive nutrition assessment for patients at nutritional risk. Assesses educational needs and provides nutrition counseling for individuals and groups, incorporating a learning approach that considers the cultural, religious, educational, and medical situation of the patient. Includes information regarding budgeting, menu planning, food purchasing and preparation, food storage and sanitation. Maintains productivity standards and practices, effective time management, and prioritizing of tasks. Supports Performance Improvement activities by participating in the development of nutritional care indicators, evaluation criteria, collecting continuous quality improvement data, monitoring outcomes and initiating corrective actions. Stays abreast of current research in nutrition related areas. Analyzes and interprets nutrition related research related to patient care. Serves as the nutrition expert on the interdisciplinary treatment team which includes physicians, nurses, and other allied health professionals. Advises interdisciplinary health care team of nutritional recommendations, goals, and efficacy of nutrition therapy. Discusses pertinent findings and interprets nutritional information which will assist the team in developing comprehensive patient treatment plans. Maintains dietetic registration and continuing education requirements. Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, Federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy. Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc. Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Communicates and teats customers in a courteous, tactful and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM (EST) Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework:This position may be telework eligible on an ad-hoc basis (ad-hoc is performed on an occasional, one-time, or irregular basis) as determined by agency policy, the discretion of the supervisor and the needs of the service line. Virtual/Remote: This is NOT a virtual/remote position. Position Title/FS #: Dietitian (Clinical)/PD99529S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Applicants must 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. Applicants must hold the RDN/RD credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. OR Exception. 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.OR- English Language Proficiency. All applicants appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in both spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Grandfathering Provision: 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. GS-07 Dietitian (Clinical) (Entry-Level Developmental): Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. Employees in this assignment serve in a Dietitian (Clinical) entry-level developmental position. They work under the guidance of a Dietitian who is at the full performance level or above, performing increasingly complex tasks designed to prepare them for promotion. Clinical Dietitians conduct nutrition assessments for patients with lower acuity using the NCP while developing skills to apply evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines. Clinical Dietitians learn to interpret research, apply whole health principles and develop patient-centered goals. They develop skills in accurate record keeping of clinical activities and complete patient encounters using approved systems. Clinical Dietitians comply with The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care. They collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans' dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction. GS-09 Dietitian (Clinical) (Developmental): In addition to the basic requirements above, all applicants must meet the experience OR education AND the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) below: Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-07); OR Education. A master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college; AND Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements. (b) Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care. (c) Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). (d) Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. (e) Ability to develop patient-centered goals. (f) Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies. (g) Ability to collaborate with stakeholders. GS-11 Dietitian (Clinical) (Full Performance Level): In addition to the basic requirements above, all applicants must meet the experience AND the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) below: Experience. At least one year of experience as an RDN/RD equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-09); AND Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. Skill in developing patient-centered goals. Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies. Skill in collaborating with stakeholders. Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities. Preferred Experience: At least one (1) year of clinical dietetic experience in a long-term care/gerontolgy setting is preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005/154, Part II, Appendix G20, Dietician Qualification Standard, dated October 14, 2022. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-07 to GS-11. 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.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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.

Contacts

• Address Fayetteville NC VA Medical Center 2300 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28301 US
• Name: Chelsea Jones
• Email: [email protected]