DIETITIAN NUTRITIONIST
About The Position
The Dietitian/Nutritionist provides optimal nutritional care to patients in compliance with Joint Commission and state regulations and dietetic professional standards. The role provides medical nutrition therapy, including nutritional assessments, nutrition care plans, patient visits, inpatient diet counseling as needed, and consultation regarding advanced nutrition support. The Dietitian/Nutritionist also assists with other areas related to the Food and Nutrition Services Department. The position serves adults or adolescents in a substance abuse treatment setting and collaborates with Medical Services to identify patients who need nutrition counseling. The Dietitian/Nutritionist assesses nutritional needs, dietary restrictions, and current health plans; develops and implements dietary care plans; provides nutrition counseling; and monitors food service operations for nutrition, safety, sanitation, and quality. The role protects client privacy and handles protected health information only as necessary for assigned duties and authorized treatment, payment, or operational purposes. Other duties may be assigned.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in nutrition science or a related science or health field.
- Current (five-years) of no felonies or substance use convictions.
- For New Jersey: graduation from a dietetic technician or dietetic assistant training facility approved by the American Dietetic Association’s Commission on Dietetic Registration.
- At least one year of experience in a partial hospitalization or outpatient setting.
- Current licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist credential with a valid, unencumbered license in good standing in the state of practice; for New Jersey, an unrestricted New Jersey dietitian license is required.
- Knowledge of addictions and mental health complications.
- Sufficient knowledge and expertise to provide care in accordance with applicable standards of practice in a substance abuse treatment setting.
- Knowledge of the 12-Step Recovery Program.
- Knowledge and competency in problem solving, stress management, ethics, and team building.
- Knowledge of alcohol and addictive drugs and their physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual effects on individuals, and their impact on families.
- Ability to recognize a medical emergency and take appropriate action.
- Knowledge of emergency procedures for alcohol or drug overdose.
- Knowledge of the stages of alcohol and other drug withdrawal and ability to take appropriate action at each stage.
- Knowledge of federal, state, and municipal laws or regulations governing alcoholism and drug addiction treatment, including confidentiality, patient rights, professional ethics, and discrimination.
- Knowledge of airborne and bloodborne pathogens (TB, HIV, AIDS, HB), risk-reduction methodologies, and universal precautions.
- Flexibility to adapt to schedule changes and assume related responsibilities as a member of an addiction treatment team.
Nice To Haves
- Detoxification experience is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with Medical Services to identify and connect with patients who need nutritional counseling.
- Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions, and current health plans; develop and implement dietary care plans and provide nutritional counseling.
- Advise patients on nutritional principles, dietary plans, diet modifications, and food selection and preparation.
- Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine patients’ or clients’ nutritional needs and diet restrictions.
- Monitor food service operations to ensure conformance to nutritional, safety, sanitation, and quality standards.
- Organize, develop, analyze, evaluate, and prepare special meal plans, including low-fat, low-cholesterol, and chemical-free plans.
- Protect client privacy and access or share protected health information only as necessary to perform job duties and as authorized by policy and law.
- Report concerns about client privacy policies and observed violations to a supervisor without fear of retaliation.
- Perform other assigned duties.
