Gastroenterology - Dietician

Tufts Medicine•Boston, MA

About The Position

This role focuses on providing medical and clinical support services to patients. In addition, this role focuses on performing the following Nutrition duties: Evaluates patients and helps them improve physical and mental conditions through treating nutritional difficulties, ranging from undernourishment to obesity. A professional individual contributor role that may direct the work of other lower level professionals or manage processes and programs. The majority of time is spent overseeing the design, implementation or delivery of processes, programs and policies using specialized knowledge and skills typically acquired through advanced education. A specialist level role that is a recognized subject matter expert in job area typically obtained through advanced education and work experience. Typically manages large projects or processes with limited oversight from manager, coaches, reviews and delegates work to lower level professionals, resolving difficult and often complex problems. Job Overview Responsible for the provision of optimal nutritional care of ambulatory patients. Functions as the nutritional expert and patient nutrition advocate on the health care team. Supervises staff registered dietitian. Assist with creation of pediatric and adolescent programs. Maintains professional credentials. Upkeep client material maintaining the most current standards of practice based on the American Dietetic Association and regulatory agency guidelines. Participate in outcomes research and develop poster sessions and other avenues for professional communication annually. Create quality monitors for the nutrition program.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition or Public Health.
Applicable specialty certifications.
Two (2) years of Clinical Dietitian experience.
Knowledge of drug/nutrient interactions and the principles of nutrition with an emphasis on disease and diet, and internal/parental support.
Interpersonal skills necessary to interact with patients, their families and staff.
Must demonstrate the ability to communicate with and assess the patient needs of different age populations to provide necessary care.
Excellent counseling skills and ability to work closely with psychologist team.
Ability to read/write and communicate in English with a demonstrated ability to show empathy and sympathy through spoken and written words. Excellent interpersonal skills.
Responsible and reliable.
Good organization skills.
Demonstrates knowledge of CQI process.
Understands family dynamics and works effectively within various types of family systems.

Nice To Haves

Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management (CSOMW).
Three (3) years of Clinical Dietitian experience.
Master's degree in Nutrition.

Responsibilities

Screens nutritionist status of each client to determine nutritional needs and the level of nutritional intervention required by reviewing the patient's medical record, especially the patient's medical history, drug history, and clinical laboratory data, and attending team rounds.
Performs nutritional and metabolic assessments based on clinical, medical and nutritional data in order to identify patients at nutrition risk. Interviews patients for nutritional history and relates problems to current medical history.
Assesses patients' nutritional status, develops medical nutrition care plans, monitors and documents the needs for those patients identified at nutritional risk, transitions eternally or parentally fed patients to discharge regimen. Monitors nutrient intake records and nutrient calculations for selected patients.
Reviews physicians' diet orders for appropriateness and recommends clarification or changes as indicated based on nutrition history, medical history, socio-economic factors and laboratory data.
Supervises staff dietitian. Directs and supervises assigned personnel including performance evaluations, scheduling, orientation, and training. Makes recommendations on employee hires, transfers, promotions, salary changes, discipline, terminations, and similar actions. Addresses grievances and other personnel problems within position responsibilities. Provides effective direction, guidance, and leadership over the staff for effective teamwork and motivation.
Assists with development, implementation and monitoring of quality improvement standards for patient meal service delivery.
Educates both patient and families regarding modified or normal diets to meet the individual nutritional needs of the patient and documents counseling in medical record. Prepares patient education materials.
Develops and individualized diet plan (based on the evaluation) and counsels the patient and, if necessary, the family, including the planning, purchasing, and preparation of foods to meet the patient's individual needs.
Follows progress of patient on successive visits and makes appropriate changes in care plan.
Maintains the necessary patient records and statistics, including written evaluations, progress notes, etc.
Documents and updates nutritional status, care plan, and counseling in patient's medical record.
Provides nutritional consultation to the medical and nursing staff and other members of the health care team.
Acts as a resource to community groups regarding nutrition and gives presentations and lectures at professional meetings and to community groups.
Provides nutritional in service education to other members of the health care team.
Communicates nutrition information to patient service assistant to ensure optimal delivery of medical nutrition therapy.
Interacts with other members of the patient's health care team to ensure optimal nutritional care for each patient including discharge planning and continuing care conferences and continued nutritional support in the home environment.
Acts as preceptor for the FSNC nutrition interns (graduate students) during their clinical affiliations. Supervises their progress in evaluating patients, developing and implementing care plan, and counseling patients and families. Prepares teaching manuals, resources, etc.
Provides formal classroom instruction to students, particularly within one's area of expertise as required.
Participates in the review, update and implementation of departmental policies and procedures, as assigned.
Participates in departmental quality improvement programs as assigned, especially those related to improving patient outcome.
Performs necessary administrative duties such as scheduling patient appointments, reviewing medical records and recording billing and insurance information.
Responsible for meeting assigned patient billing and volume goals.
Participates, as required, in nutrition-related studies and projects.
Assists with developing and managing budgets for the areas managed.
Creates quality assurance monitors for clinical and volume of practice to monitor outcomes and benchmarks.