Dietitian (Clinical)

Summary

The incumbent serves as the Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Nutrition Specialist Dietitian. The specialist is a professional member of the interdisciplinary HBPC team.

The specialist is considered the medical nutrition expert for HBPC and is responsible for the medical nutrition treatment of veteran beneficiaries on the HBPC program.

Duties

The medical nutrition care provided to HBPC patients is complex in nature.

Most patients' diseases are accompanied by multiple risk factors and comorbidities, frequently including diabetes, obesity, renal diseases, hypertension and malnutrition which require complex treatment plans.

The dietitian initiates, develops, implements and evaluates total nutrition care and education for HBPC patients.

The dietitian must, therefore, accurately assess medical nutrition needs and through the primary provider or independently, as required by scope of practice, order laboratory tests, evaluate anthropometric data, evaluate possible drug/nutrient interactions, determine the nutrition status and develop individual, specialized care plans to simultaneously accommodate several disease processes.

The dietitian must tailor each individual patient's diet according to physical, psychosocial and metabolic needs and design the medical nutrition care plan with consideration to preference and ethnic or cultural background to obtain maximum long term adherence to the medical nutrition care plan.

Throughout the course of treatment, the specialist must continually monitor and evaluate the effects of the medical nutrition treatment, assess nutrition status and adjust the medical nutrition treatment care plan as indicated.

The dietitian assesses physical, psychosocial and environmental factors in the patient's home which impact upon adequate nutrition intake and develops plans with the patient and caregiver to facilitate provision of adequate nutrition intake.

When assessing or providing patient care the dietitian will consider the age of the patient as it relates to ability to understand directions, provide objective self assessment or any other medical milieu appropriate to the overall treatment plan.

The dietitian assists the patient and/or caregiver with menu planning, label reading and food selection. To accomplish this objective, the dietitian may accompany the patient/caregiver to the supermarket to enhance the learning process.

The dietitian may demonstrate food preparation techniques in the home, emphasizing conservation of nutrients, aesthetic appeal and palatability.

The dietitian assesses the patient's nutrition status and the need for oral nutrition supplements and total enteral nutrition therapy products and writes the prescriptions for same.

The dietitian develops, organizes and implements nutrition education programs for patients and/or significant others including individual instruction, group classes as feasible and health promotion activities.

The dietitian reviews, updates and develops patient education materials to maximize patient knowledge and adherence to diet.

The dietitian provides and participates in educational programs such as medical conferences, seminars, and workshops.

She/he provides support, expertise and serves as consultant to other dietitians, dietetic students, and health team members regarding all aspects of nutrition care for the HBPC patients.

The dietitian assists in setting standards of care and is responsible to see that standards are met for the HBPC program.

The dietitian utilizes dietetic computer programs to communicate patient care needs and administrative information effectively, and to assess pertinent information from the computer as necessary.

The dietitian participates in clinical research and investigative studies in the HBPC program, including collecting data and preparing and publishing materials to improve nutrition care.

The dietitian takes an active role in the HBPC performance improvement program, and in other programmatic activities such as policy/procedure review and goal setting.

The dietitian is a part of the Home Care Service in Geriatrics and Extended Care but remains involved in activities of the Nutrition and Food Service, including relieving for other dietitians as feasible.

Work Schedule:
Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM

Telework:
Available; as determined by agency policy, the discretion of supervisor and the needs of the service line

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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