Pediatric Clinical Dietitian Per Diem
About The Position
Under the general supervision of the Senior Clinical Dietitian Specialists and the Clinical Nutrition Director/Supervisor, the Pediatric Clinical Dietitian provides nutritional care to hospital patients throughout Brown University Health in accordance with established policies, procedures, and departmental standards of practice. The role involves interviewing patients and/or family members, reviewing electronic health records, assessing nutritional needs, and developing and updating nutrition plans of care. The dietitian monitors and evaluates nutrition-related indicators and outcomes to assess progress toward goals and determine whether interventions should continue or be revised. The role also documents patient progress in the electronic health record and may direct support personnel in the assigned work area. The position supports Brown University Health’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, as well as its core Success Factors: Instill Trust and Value Differences; Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate. The role includes patient care, education, discharge planning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and participation in quality improvement and department initiatives.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Food and Nutrition or a related concentration from a U.S. accredited college or university approved by ACEND.
- Completion of an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program and successful completion of the CDR national examination for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, or documentation of a scheduled examination date if registration-eligible.
- Rhode Island Dietitian/Nutritionist license, required within three months of hire; proof of license application must be submitted upon employment.
- Registration-eligible candidates must have a Rhode Island Department of Health Dietitian/Nutritionist Graduate Practice license before the start date and pass the CDR examination and obtain an LDN license within three months of hire.
- Unlicensed dietitians’ notes must be cosigned by a licensed registered dietitian until a license is obtained.
- Thorough understanding of applying nutrition principles to human physiology in adult and pediatric disease states.
- Thorough knowledge of the nutrition care process and nutritional values of foods and food groups.
- Analytical ability to identify overt and potential nutritional problems.
- Ability to develop nutritional plans of care and communicate nutrition education through formal and informal channels.
- Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills.
- Administrative ability to direct and coordinate quality nutrition care in assigned areas of responsibility.
- Maintain Commission on Dietetic Registration credential through 75 hours of continuing education every five years and Rhode Island LDN through 20 hours of continuing education every two years.
- Ability to resolve patient food-service satisfaction issues through knowledge of patient service operations; on-the-job training is provided.
- Proficient computer skills in MS Word.
Nice To Haves
- One to two years of experience as a Clinical Dietitian.
- Membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and relevant practice groups, such as the Medical Nutrition Practice Group or Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group.
- Proficiency in MS PowerPoint and MS Excel.
Responsibilities
- Use accurate and relevant information to identify nutrition-related problems.
- Assess personal, medical, family, psychosocial, and social history; anthropometric indicators; laboratory profiles; medical tests and procedures; and findings from nutrition-focused physical examinations.
- Obtain and assess food and nutrition-related history, including intake and administration, medication and supplement use, knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, readiness to change, relevant activities, and food security.
- Use reference data and standards to estimate nutrient needs, recommended body weight and BMI, and desired growth patterns.
- Collect and review information documented by dietetic technicians, other health care practitioners, patients, and staff that may affect nutrition and health status.
- Use collected data to identify possible problem areas and determine nutrition diagnoses.
- Re-evaluate and revise nutrition diagnoses in accordance with department standards of care.
- Base nutrition interventions and plans of care on available research and evidence, evidence-based guidelines, and best practices.
- Document nutrition care plans in the Interdisciplinary Plan of Care and patients’ electronic health records; monitor nutritional status and update plans according to departmental standards.
- Participate in discharge planning by evaluating patients’ conditions from a nutritional perspective and recommending programs or procedures that support readiness for discharge.
- Conduct individual and group nutrition education for inpatient and outpatient patients and their families to support continued care at home.
- Provide nutrition education through seminars and workshops for physicians, other health care professionals, and professional peer groups in the community.
- Represent Food & Nutrition Services at interdisciplinary meetings.
- Participate in patient satisfaction initiatives and department customer-service programs.
- Participate in department quality improvement programs and financial and productivity measures as requested.
- May participate in community and media programs.
- Direct the activities of support personnel in the assigned work area as needed.
- Resolve patient food-service satisfaction issues using knowledge of patient service operations; training is provided on the job.
