Lead Clinical Dietitian Full-time Days

At Houston Methodist the Lead Clinical Dietitian position is responsible for functioning as an advanced clinician per the requirements established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) with progressive leadership abilities. In addition to fulfilling the duties of a clinical Sr Dietitian primary responsibilities for this position include leading department and quality improvement projects assuming leadership responsibilities within the dietician team with high level medical nutrition therapy at the patient bedside unit service line and across the organization planning and implementing professional nutrition presentations. The Lead Clinical Dietitian position serves as the liaison between management staff and physicians for routine matters as the primary point of contact for resolving questions and issues for dietitians as well as support staff resulting in the delivery of exceptional patient care and adherence to standards of practice for optimal patient safety quality outcomes and customer service. This position provides mentorship and guidance to department staff in areas of clinical and professional practice.

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Role models to team members effective verbal nonverbal and written communication skills assisting in their development of such skills. Collaborates with management and all members of the interprofessional care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner. Corresponds with other health care professionals regarding clients nutrition care plan as necessary.

• Assists Clinical Nutrition Manager as a department lead for registered dietitian (RD) staff. Independently and expertly serves as the department primary resource for staff for all nutrition inquiries and provide counseling while upholding Houston Methodist and industry standards of ethics. Coordinates new hire training activities and schedule.

• Leads and initiates problem resolution within the work unit. Rolemodels skills through peertopeer accountability to optimize improvement of department score for employee engagement.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Executes above average clinical and critical thinking skills in assessing the nutrition status of clients and/or patients. Uses therapeutic communication which includes active listening and teaching to establish a relationship with patients families and interprofessional health care team to collaborate on the plan of care. Consistently evaluates the patients comprehension and adapts teaching methods accordingly.

• Proactively identifies needs for adjustment/intervention for optimum patient care and experience. Monitors and adjusts activities of the assigned team to ensure optimum patient throughput and patient experience. Advocates on patient/familys behalf to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns utilizing appropriate resources.

• Serves as liaison between team members management and physicians resolving routine matters. Initiates improvements towards department score for patient satisfaction through peertopeer accountability to service standards.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Proactively recognize issues in advance and determine a plan of action for controlling maintaining situation or eliminating problem. Formulates clear decision criteria; evaluates options by considering implications and consequences; chooses an effective option.

• Selfinitiates crosscoverage assistance to ensure continuity of care. Provides care to increasingly complex patients coordinates care with the interprofessional team. Utilizes sound clinical judgment using an evidencebased analytical approach to ensure patient nutrition needs are met.

• Conducts quality audits on processes outcomes and team member performance. Calculates and analyzes outcome metrics. Identifies opportunities for corrective action and process improvement with researchbased evidence to achieve patient safety outcomes supported by accurate documentation providing recommendations. Completes quality indicators to meeting department and hospital targets for quality and safety.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Positively impacts quality and cost outcomes by assuring optimal medical nutrition therapy to minimize potential complications related to alterations of nutrition status. Contributes towards meeting department financial targets through adjusting nutrition care plan to provide the most appropriate and costeffective therapy optimizing efficiency and other areas according to department specifications.

• Completes activity/productivity and other reports on timely basis. Provides leadership to team members on effective and efficient utilization of time. Uses downtime efficiently aware of team members workload consistently offers assistance and responds positively to requests for assistance from other team members.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies innovative ways to shorten hospital length of stay and to minimize rates of readmission services based upon outcomes and evidencebased medicine /research.

• Leads the change and performance improvement initiative. Leads in a minimum of one department committee task force and/or work group. Participate in a minimum of one hospital committee and facilitates the accomplishment of the goals of the committee.

• Seeks opportunities to identify selfdevelopment needs and takes appropriate action. Reads and communicates evidencebased practice literature in nutrition and wellness and related disciplines. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an ongoing basis.

This job description is not intended to be allinclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.EDUCATION

• Masters degree in dietetics food science nutrition institutional management or related field

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Five years hospital direct patient care experience as a Registered Dietitian; may consider HM employee with four years hospital direct patient care dietitian experience of which three years is as a HM Clinical Dietitian with demonstrated progressive leadership abilities

• Three years of clinical nutrition in a large teaching hospital preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• RD Registered Dietician (CDR) the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics AND
• LD License Dietitian State Licensure by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation AND
• CDE Certified Diabetes Educator Certification (CBDCE) within 6 months OR
• CSR Certified Specialist Renal Nutrition (CDR) within 6 months OR
• CNSC Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (NBNSC) within 6 months OR
• CCTD Clinical Transplant Dietitian (NATCO) within 6 months OR
• other equivalent specialty board certification within 6 months

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS PREFERRED

• BLS Basic Life Support (AHA)

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job determined through ongoing skills competency assessments and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking reading and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients physicians family members and coworkers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Strong knowledge of local City Food Ordinance guidelines and Health department standards

• Function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with physicians interprofessional care team and patients and their families

• Possesses comprehensive computer knowledge including Microsoft products

• Exhibits strong interpersonal teamwork and leadership skills with all levels of the healthcare team and assures delivery of excellent customer service to all patients visitors physicians and coworkers

• Adapts to multiple ongoing priorities with minimal supervision including organizing work flow and actively participating in problemsolving

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) Yes

ONCALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be oncall during emergencies (ie. DIsaster Severe Weather Events etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Company Profile:

Houston Methodist West Hospital is committed to leading medicine in West Houston Katy and surrounding communities by delivering the Houston Methodist standard of exceptional safety quality service and innovation. The growing campus offers 253 beds and access to the most innovative medical and surgical care available including cardiology and cardiovascular surgery; neurology and neurosurgery; comprehensive cancer care; orthopedics and sports medicine; gastroenterology; bariatrics; childbirth center with level III NICU; emergency care; and advanced imaging.

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal employment opportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston Methodist is firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with Houston Methodist on the basis of race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin age disability status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law. VEVRAA Federal Contractor priority referral Protected Veterans requested.

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