Dietitian (Clinical)

Summary

This Dietitian (Clinical) position is in Nutrition and Food services at the VA Maine Healthcare Systems, located at the Lewiston location. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week.

Duties

The clinical dietitian is responsible for independently planning, developing and directing all nutritional care activities for assigned veterans, including those with complex medical and nutritional needs. The clinical dietitian's expertise is specific to diagnosing nutrition problems and the nutrition ramifications of disease entities and medical treatment modalities. Assessment methodologies such as identifying physical signs of malnutrition, drug/nutrient interactions and depletions, and assessment of intake and nutrient losses are critical skills used by clinical dietitians.

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

• 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.
• Calculates nutrient requirements (calories, protein, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, electrolytes and fluids) and necessary diet restrictions or food/drug interactions.
• Evaluates patterns and relationships among data obtained and possible root causes for nutrition problems
• Tailors diet prescription to each individual patient according to physical and metabolic needs. With an understanding of the patient's health condition, designs the nutritional treatment plan with consideration for psychosocial, behavioral, physical activity, ethnic and cultural factors to obtain desirable outcomes and promote long term adherence to a medical nutrition care plan.
• Prioritizes the importance of nutrition problems for optimal health, recovery from illness, management of chronic disease or disease prevention.
• Utilizes evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines and Whole Health Principles to develop shared goals with the patient and formulates a plan of care that is focused on the etiology of the nutrition problem.
• Assesses educational needs and provides nutrition education/counseling for individuals and groups within the interdisciplinary team
• Assists in achieving compliance with The Joint Commission, or other accrediting agency standards to continuously improve the safety and quality of care.
• Serves as the nutrition expert for medical staff on the nutritional management of patients.
• Utilizes motivational interviewing techniques to evaluate patient and/or caregiver's readiness to learn and potential for changing behaviors.
• Evaluates achievement of learning objectives by the patient and/or family. Adapts nutrition education materials and counseling techniques to the patient's level of understanding, which frequently involves simplifying complex dietary restrictions.
• Utilizes virtual care technology such as VA Video Connect (VVC) and Secure Messaging (SM) to improve access to nutrition care.
• 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. Incumbent may perform other duties as directed.
• Performs other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the service and patients to include providing support / coverage for vacancies and leave.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Telework: Available. Ad-hoc.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: PD000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Notification:

-This position is in the Excepted Service.

-This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position.

-This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.

-The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.

-Selectee may be required to work at any VA Maine Healthcare System campus, as needed.

-Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.

-Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.

---