Registered Dietitian

Fresenius Medical Care•Hays, KS

13d

About The Position

Provides nutritional services for the facility’s in-center and home patients, as applicable, to maximize nutritional status and improve clinical outcomes. Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team and supports the FMCNA commitment to the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAI) activities. Participates in process improvement activities that help patients achieve individualized goals established by their physicians. The Registered Dietitian assesses patients’ knowledge of diet and kidney disease, provides individualized nutrition education and counseling, completes nutritional assessments, calculates diet prescriptions, and contributes to comprehensive care planning. The role monitors nutritional status and response to therapy, identifies patients who are malnourished or at risk, reviews relevant laboratory results and weight, recommends appropriate interventions, and documents care in accordance with company policies and applicable regulations. The position collaborates with interdisciplinary team members, physicians, patients, families, caregivers, nursing facilities, and corporate dietitians on nutrition-related treatment and care coordination. It also participates in staff, care plan, and quality meetings; maintains professional knowledge, registration, and continuing education; and helps ensure work areas are safe and clean. The work takes place in a healthcare facility and includes desk and computer work, interaction with patients and staff, and travel between assigned facilities and community locations. Travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required. The work environment has air temperature control and moderate noise levels, with possible exposure to infectious and contagious diseases or materials.

Requirements

Registered Dietitian credential as recognized by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
Current state licensure, if applicable.
At least 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 is 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 and results, fluid status, and nutrition-related laboratory parameters.
Complete nutritional assessments and participate in interdisciplinary comprehensive assessments.
Help develop written, individualized comprehensive plans of care in accordance with applicable federal and state guidelines.
Calculate diet prescriptions according to standard practice.
Complete progress notes for chronic dialysis patients and maintain accurate medical-record documentation in accordance with company policies and regulations.
Provide ongoing nutrition assessment and outcome-oriented counseling to help patients achieve and sustain effective nutritional status.
Identify malnourished patients and those at risk, review albumin levels and body weight at least monthly, and collaborate with the team on interventions and resources.
Monitor adherence and response to nutrition therapy, adjust therapy as needed, document barriers to goals, and implement care-plan actions to address them.
Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team on Urea Kinetic Modeling recommendations to achieve the physician’s Kt/V prescription.
Collaborate on management and recommendations concerning mineral metabolism, renal bone disease, anemia and iron status, nutritional and psychosocial status, vascular access, modality, rehabilitation, and sodium/volume control.
Follow FMCNA algorithms and medical-record policies.
Report nutrition QAI results and participate in the interdisciplinary QAI program.
Coordinate with team members to provide Pre-ESRD education as appropriate.
Work with the Case Manager when appropriate to coordinate patient education and identify candidates for physician referral for nutritional supplements under disease-management agreements.
Review nutrition-related laboratory results, counsel patients or caregivers, formulate appropriate actions, recommend treatment changes, and communicate results and recommendations to the interdisciplinary team, physicians, facility staff, and relevant care providers.
Participate in staff, quality-improvement, care-plan, and other applicable meetings.
Consult with the FMS Corporate Dietitian regarding nutrition concerns as needed.
Maintain and improve professional knowledge and skills, dietetic registration, and continuing education hours as required.
Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to help ensure work areas are safe and clean.
Perform other nutrition-management and related duties as assigned.