Dietitian

Description

SUMMARY: Assuring patients and others that consume meals a quality, nutritional meal, attractively served with careful consideration of clinical diets, food allergies, and food intolerances. Oversight of appropriate competencies and skills set of dietary staff to carry out functions of the food and nutrition services, taking into consideration patient assessments, individual plans of care and the number, acuity and diagnoses of the patients.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Function as a part of the management team; abide by and enforce all policies.
• Responsible for diet menu’s ensuring they meet standards. 
• Ensure nutritious and attractive patient meals in accordance with standardized facility menus.
• Provides nutritional counseling and education to individual patients and or groups.
• Delegates and assigns tasks to other dietary staff to include dietary manager and staff.
• Collaborates with other members of the healthcare team with dietary screening and planning appropriate nutritional intervention(s) throughout the patient’s hospitalization. 
• Develops and maintains policies, procedures and educational tools for patients and staff. 
• Knowledgeable of regulatory requirements and oversees compliance with regulations. 
• Ensure that food is served and stored at proper temperatures and follow appropriate handling and equipment safety measures, such as, HACCP regulations and food handling guidelines.
• Ensure that proper recording and log temperature measurements are maintained along with the appropriate labels of refrigerated and frozen food items with necessary identifying information.
• Ensure equipment for food preparation and cleaning are being maintained within the department.
• Assist in the development of ordering food and supplies consistent with need and budget. 
• Responsible for the implementation of and compliance with all safety policies and procedures within the department.
• Ensure staff training in the basic knowledge of infection control as a food borne illness in food preparation and delivery.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supervises dietary staff to include performance reviews, interviewing, coaching and disciplinary actions.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must represent the hospital in a positive light within the community.
• Must possess the ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form.
• Proficient level of knowledge of food handling and safety procedures. 
• Must be proficient at basic computer operations (for scheduling, basic written communication to staff, etc.)
• Must have a clear understanding of the organization’s standards regarding acceptable levels of food service for the facility.
• Ability to demonstrate responsible use of food, supplies and cleaning agents and other hospital resources.
• Must have intermediate understanding of food preparation, cooking and clinical diets.
• Must be able to substitute exchanges and make menu substitutions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s or higher degree granted by a regionally accredited college or university with completion of academic requirements of a program in nutrition or dietetics accredited by an appropriate national accreditation organization.
• Licensed or certified as a dietitian or nutrition professional in the state of Texas.
• 2 years previous dietary experience preferred.

LANGUAGE/READING SKILLS:

• Must be able to read advanced directions in food preparation and recipes and instructions in English on chemicals, signage within facility, written instructions from supervisor, etc.
• Must be able to communicate with English-speaking patients within the hospital regarding diet histories, nutritional assessments and food allergies.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

• Have ability to mathematically calculate measurements for ingredient adjustments to menus as needed and basic measurements for cleaning products.

REASONING ABILITY: Employee responds to commonly occurring problems/situations for which standards, procedures or precedents exist. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Employee is regularly required to speak and hear English, stand, walk, sit, use hand to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms. 

Employee must frequently be able to lift 25 pounds from the floor to waist level. Specific vision abilities include close vision and the ability to clearly focus vision.