Registered Dietitian

Fresenius Medical Care•Cleveland, OH

26d

About The Position

Provides nutritional services to in-center and home patients, as applicable, to maximize nutritional status and improve clinical outcomes. Serves as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team and supports the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAI) activities, and other process improvement efforts intended to help patients meet individualized goals established by their physicians. The Registered Dietitian assesses patients’ understanding of diet and kidney disease, provides individualized education and nutrition counseling, completes nutritional assessments, calculates diet prescriptions, and participates in developing and implementing comprehensive plans of care. The role monitors patients’ nutritional status and response to therapy, reviews relevant lab results and outcomes, identifies malnutrition risks, and coordinates recommendations and interventions with patients, caregivers, physicians, and the interdisciplinary team. The position also maintains accurate medical records and progress notes, participates in quality and care plan meetings, coordinates appropriate patient education and referrals, and maintains dietetic registration and required continuing education. Work takes place in a healthcare facility and involves desk and computer work, interaction with patients and clinical staff, and travel between assigned facilities and other locations in the community. The role has no supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

Registered Dietitian credential as defined by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
Current state licensure, if applicable.
Minimum of 1 year of professional work experience in clinical nutrition as a Registered Dietitian.
Demonstrated leadership competencies and skills, including ability to teach, strong organizational skills, excellent communication, customer service, relationship development, results orientation, team building, and decision making.
Ability to perform responsibilities with minimum supervision.
Basic computer skills.

Nice To Haves

Board Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition certification is encouraged.
Previous renal experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Assess patients’ knowledge of diet and kidney disease and provide education suited to their learning needs.
Educate patients, families, and caregivers about nutritional status, adequacy measures, fluid status, nutrition-related lab parameters, and the effects of diet on kidney disease and treatment.
Complete nutritional assessments and participate in interdisciplinary comprehensive assessments.
Participate in developing written, individualized comprehensive plans of care in accordance with applicable federal and state guidelines.
Calculate diet prescriptions according to standards of practice.
Complete progress notes for chronic dialysis patients and maintain accurate medical record documentation in accordance with company policies and applicable regulations.
Provide ongoing nutrition assessments and outcome-oriented counseling to help patients achieve and sustain effective nutritional status.
Identify patients who are malnourished or at risk for malnutrition and collaborate with the interdisciplinary team on interventions, resources, and solutions.
Review each patient’s albumin level and body weight at least monthly and implement the plan of care with patient, family, or caregiver involvement.
Monitor adherence and response to nutrition therapy, adjust therapy as needed, document barriers to achieving goals, and implement care-plan actions addressing those barriers.
Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team on Urea Kinetic Modeling recommendations to help achieve the physician’s Kt/V prescription.
Collaborate on management and recommendations involving mineral metabolism and renal bone disease, anemia and iron status, nutrition, psychosocial status, vascular access, modality, rehabilitation, and sodium/volume control.
Follow company algorithms and medical record policies.
Report nutrition QAI results and participate in the interdisciplinary QAI program.
Coordinate with team members in providing Pre-ESRD education as appropriate.
Work with the Case Manager, when appropriate, to coordinate patient education plans and identify candidates for physician referral for nutritional supplements under disease management agreements.
Review nutrition-related lab results, counsel patients or caregivers, formulate appropriate actions, recommend treatment changes, and communicate results and recommendations to physicians, facility staff, and other care providers as appropriate.
Participate in staff meetings, quality improvement meetings, care plan meetings, and other applicable meetings.
Consult with the FMS Corporate Dietitian regarding nutrition concerns as needed.
Maintain and improve professional knowledge and skills and maintain dietetic registration and continuing education hours as specified by applicable professional and state requirements.
Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to ensure work areas are safe and clean.
Perform other assigned nutrition management and related duties.