Dietitian (Clinical)

Veterans Health Administration • Bronx, NY

5d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in the Clinical Section of the Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) at the James J. Peters VAMC serving as the medical nutrition expert. Clinical Dietitians coordinate nutritional care of Veterans with other health care providers, the Veteran, the Veteran's caregiver and the community. Recruitment & Relocation Incentive Eligible!!!

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year or 2-year trial period.
• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Registered Dietitian (RD) - Must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing branch of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics formerly known as the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
• Exception for GS-07 and GS-09 Only: Dietitians who do not possess the RDN/RD credential.
• Non-credentialed Dietitians who otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below, but do not possess the RDN credential, may be given a full-time temporary appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2).
• May only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential.
• Non-credentialed Dietitians must have fulfilled each of the following: Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university or foreign equivalent.
• Foreign Education: To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND and meet ACEND's International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam.
• Completed an ACEND accredited experiential or supervised practice program and provide a verification statement from the program director that conveys eligibility to take the CDR registration exam as a prospective RDN.
• GS-07 Dietitian (Clinical) (Entry Level Developmental) - No additional requirements beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-09 Dietitian (Clinical) (Developmental) - Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-09 you must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) OR a master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college in the field of dietetics or closely related field.
• Your experience or education must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements.
• Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care.
• Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation).
• Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes.
• Ability to develop patient-centered goals.
• Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies.
• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders.
• GS-11 Dietitian (Clinical) (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement : In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11 up must possess at least 1 year of experience as an RDN/RD equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) which demonstrates the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Skill in delivering patient care using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring, and evaluation).
• Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes.
• Skill in developing patient-centered goals.
• Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies.
• Skill in collaborating with stakeholders.
• Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities.
• Creditable Experience. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with current professional dietetic practice and must have been gained post registration.
• This may be evidenced by one or more of the following: (1) The equivalent of 1 year of active professional practice. Active professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a registered Dietitian.
• (2) Academic course work leading to an advanced graduate degree in nutrition or a related health care field.
• Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be comparable to dietetic experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled.
• For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
• Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a registered Dietitian is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek.
• Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®) is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' accrediting agency for education programs preparing students for careers as registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN).
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian. RDN and Registered Dietitian (RD) credentials are the same and both are qualifying.
• The difference between RDN and RD is in name only due to a change by the professional academy in 2014.
• In this standard, the term RDN will be used.
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

Nice To Haves

• Recruitment & Relocation Incentive Eligible!!!

Responsibilities

• Conducts comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP), including nutrition focused physical examinations, to establish a nutrition diagnosis and determine risk and/or malnutrition.
• Develops and implements Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address the nutrition diagnosis, evaluates and monitors the effectiveness and outcomes of MNT interventions. Modifies the plan as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes.
• Calculates nutrient requirements and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions tailoring the diet prescription to each individual patient.
• Documents MNT in the medical record using the Assessment, Diagnosis, Intervention, Monitoring, Evaluation (ADIME) format.
• Identifies patients in need of nutritional support and recommends the appropriate mode of support and communicates appropriately with the health care team.
• Actively participates in formal and informal interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Assesses educational needs and provides nutrition education/counseling for individuals and groups that is tailored to the Veteran(s).
• Maintains accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and completes patient encounters using approved systems.
• Ensures continuous improvement of safe and quality care of Veterans.
• Clinical Dietitians conduct nutrition assessments for patients with lower acuity using the NCP while developing skills to apply evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines.
• Clinical Dietitians learn to interpret research, apply whole health principles and develop patient-centered goals.
• They develop skills in accurate record keeping of clinical activities and complete patient encounters using approved systems.
• Dietitians comply with The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care.
• They collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans' dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction.
• Clinical Dietitians conduct nutrition assessments using the NCP.
• They develop skills in applying evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines, interpreting research and utilizing whole health principles to develop patient-centered goals and improve outcomes.
• Clinical Dietitians also utilize virtual care technology to improve access to care.
• They maintain accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and patient encounters using approved systems.
• Dietitians comply with TJC and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care.
• They collect data related to performance improvement activities within Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) and assist in implementing new initiatives.
• Clinical Dietitians collaborate with the Food Service Section to enhance the Veterans' dining experience, support patient satisfaction and serve as a liaison between clinical units and the food service section.
• Clinical Dietitians conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments for Veterans using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation), assuring high-quality nutrition care.
• They apply evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines, interpret research and utilize whole health principles to develop patient centered goals and improve outcomes.
• Dietitians also utilize virtual care technology to improve access to care.
• They are accountable for independent and accurate record keeping, autonomous coverage of daily clinical activities and efficiently completing patient encounters using approved systems.
• Clinical Dietitians are knowledgeable of and ensure work accomplishments comply with TJC and other accrediting agency standards and ensure continuous improvement of safe and quality care.
• They collect and analyze data related to performance improvement activities within NFS, lead activities in the implementation of new initiatives and collaborate with stakeholders.
• Dietitians frequently collaborate with the food service section and leadership staff to enhance the Veteran's dining experience, support patient satisfaction and serve as a liaison between clinical units and the Food Service Section.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level