Senior Nutritionist

The Senior Nutritionist will provide medical nutrition therapy and counseling services for oncology patients and their families at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This includes conducting individual and group sessions to educate and facilitate maximum nutritional compliance and intervention toward optimal treatment outcomes.

The ideal candidate will maintain good rapport and effective working relationships with patients and their families, physicians, nurses, managers, administration, and the media.

The Senior Nutritionist will also be responsible for interviewing patients and their families, reviewing information obtained from medical records and/or healthcare providers, and assessing and evaluating social, financial, environmental, and medical factors impacting nutrition status.

They will interpret anthropometric, laboratory, clinical, and nutrient intake data to determine nutritional risk, nutritional status, dietary requirements, and feeding limitations.

The Senior Nutritionist will develop nutrition care plans utilizing clinical, biochemical, and socio-economic factors, determining optimum feeding routes, techniques, substrates, and nutrient formulations.

They will document and communicate nutrition care plans and progress through written and verbal systems, including medical records and discussion on patient-care rounds.

The Senior Nutritionist will also serve as a nutrition consultant, resource, and lecturer for healthcare providers, students, and the general public.

They will participate as a team member in conferences/rounds on behalf of patients with other healthcare providers, collaborate with case managers for continuing care plans, and communicate to patient care staff any nutritional problems that may affect a patient's response to overall medical care and treatment.

The Senior Nutritionist will interpret, evaluate, and utilize pertinent current research related to nutritional care and participate in selected quality management programs as appropriate.

The Senior Nutritionist will participate in the development and implementation of programmatic planning of ambulatory oncology nutrition services for adult patients.

They will represent the Department of Nutrition and the Nutrition Consultation Service on committees as assigned within the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The Senior Nutritionist will participate in the development of policies and procedures related to nutrition care of ambulatory oncology patients and their families for JCAHO, Department of Health, research protocols, the Hospital, and the Department, as well as for specific disease-based clinics.

They will collect and report productivity data related to patient volume and referral statistics and fiscal recovery and report information to the Director of Nutrition, BWH, and to the Coordinating Nutrition Specialist - Cancer Care, DFCI.

The Senior Nutritionist will assess nutritional composition and clinical efficacy of new products and supplements, alternative/complementary products or diets, and maintain current information on new products and provide meaningful interpretation to physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers.

They will assist the Coordinating Nutrition Specialist in controlling the availability and dispensation of nutritional pharmaceutical samples.

The Senior Nutritionist will submit patient charge information to appropriate personnel and review data entry reports to ensure accuracy in billing.

They will conduct advertising efforts to area institutions toward establishing new contracts for nutrition consultation and through the Marketing Department and/or Public Affairs to advertise educational programs.

The Senior Nutritionist will develop and expand entrepreneurial proficiency in program patient volume and unit income growth and work with the manager to establish and manage volume/productivity targets.

They will contribute to cost containment by careful use of supplies.

The Senior Nutritionist will plan, coordinate, teach dietetic interns current nutrition guidelines and recommendations for oncology patients and supervise dietetic interns as assigned.

They will develop and present formal and informal presentations on oncological nutrition to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute staff, colleagues, and students.

The Senior Nutritionist will represent the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to physicians, dietitians, nurses, and pharmacists outside the institution by participating in educational programs and activities.

They will serve as a mentor to less experienced staff and foster team work to promote cooperation and support for patient care activities.

The Senior Nutritionist will educate healthcare professionals as to the goals of and methods for the provision of medical nutrition therapy to various ambulatory patient populations.

They will develop and present group education classes in specialized areas to hospital staff, professional organizations, the community at large, media, and/or contract institutions.

The Senior Nutritionist will develop and expand professional proficiency in areas of specialty and publish in peer-reviewed or lay publications and present at professional conferences.

They will participate in mandatory hospital inservices, including OSHA, safety, respiratory, fire, and confidentiality.