The Clinical Dietitian will be involved in the professional practice of dietetics in accordance with the guidance set forth in Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) directives, policies and procedures, and VA regulations governing the practice of dietetics. The clinical dietitian may be scheduled and assigned to any nutrition practice area.

Duties

Duties of this position include, but are not limited to: Nutritional Care: Conducts a comprehensive nutrition assessment utilizing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) for assigned patients. Develops and implements an individualized plan for Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) in accordance with the patient's medical program goals and objectives. Performs a Nutrition Focused Physical Exam (NFPE) during assessments to determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition. Tailors diet prescription to each individual patient according to physical and metabolic needs. Prioritizes the importance of nutrition problems for optimal health, recovery from illness, management of chronic disease or disease prevention. Identifies patients in need of nutritional support and recommends the appropriate mode of support, including suitable route, formula, and rate of administration. Documents nutrition care plan in the patient's medical record, including nutrition assessment data, MNT initiated and recommendations, results of nutrition counseling, patient consents and discharge planning. Nutrition Education and Coordination of Care: Assesses educational needs and provides nutrition education/counseling for individuals and groups. Evaluates achievement of learning objectives by the patient and/or family Provides follow-up nutrition education/counseling in accordance with the patient's treatment goals and determines when a problem requires consultation or referral to another provider or service. Assists in the education and oversight of dietetic students and interns. Assists in planning learning experiences, teaching, and evaluating performance. Business Functions: Ensures completion of consult management tasks by reviewing assigned nutrition consults. Assists in developing and revising patient education materials, clinical forms, and protocols. Participates in the orientation and training of new staff (e.g., Food Service Employees, dietetic interns, clinical dietitians, etc.) Assists in achieving compliance with The Joint Commission, or other accrediting agencies. Quality Improvement/Research: Supports Performance Improvement activities by participating in the development of nutritional care indicators, evaluation criteria, collecting performance improvement data, monitoring outcomes, and initiating corrective actions. Participates in planning and developing nutrition-related policies, procedures, and goals. Stays abreast of current research in Nutrition related areas. Analyzes and interprets nutrition related research related to patient care. Participation as a Member of the Health Care Team: Serves as the nutrition expert for medical staff on the nutritional management of patients. Communicates and influences treatment interventions determined by the medical team through interdisciplinary meetings, team rounds, medical conferences and nutrition-related in-services. Coordinates care with colleagues in a variety of medical and home settings to ensure appropriate transitions of care are addressed to meet the patient's needs Assists in patient discharge planning to ensure provision of appropriate services and equipment for enteral feeding. Professional Development: Interprets current clinical knowledge, standards of care, and research to improve patient care. Develops and implements an individualized plan for professional growth and development including participation in professional organizations and activities, workshops, seminars, and staff development programs. Participates in departmental and/or interdisciplinary meetings, task forces, and projects. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD91673-A, PD91674-A, and PD91675-A 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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants must hold the RDN credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 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. 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. - AND - 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. Grade Determinations: GS-07 Dietitian (Clinical) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-09 Dietitian (Clinical) Experience: At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. OR Education: Master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements. Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care. Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. Ability to develop patient-centered goals. Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies. Ability to collaborate with stakeholders. GS-11 Dietitian (Clinical) Experience: At least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade. OR Education: equivalent to 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited university or college in the field of dietetics or closely related field. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of best practices in the dietetics profession and in scientific literature, including knowledge of research methods, study design, data collection, interpretation of findings, and translation of results into nutrition practice. Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory, and agency authorities. Ability to develop and maintain a system of internal reviews and direct quality control and performance improvement studies. Knowledge of computer software programs relative to food service systems. Preferred Experience: At least one year of experience as a dietitian in a clinical setting. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G20 Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary, employees may be required to walk throughout the campus for meetings, may be required to carry objects such as manuals or cases of paper as needed for daily work. The full performance level of this job series 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.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Cincinnati VA Medical Center 3200 Vine Street Cincinnati, OH 45220 US
• Name: Andrea Smith-Hilton
• Phone: 7348455740
• Email: [email protected]