Registered Dietitian

UHS•Anchorage, AK

20d

About The Position

North Star Behavioral Health Hospital is seeking a Registered Dietitian to provide nutritional care to patients in a behavioral health setting. The role uses the nutrition care process to assess patients in relation to diagnoses, laboratory values, anthropometric measures, medications, age-specific needs, and comorbidities. The Dietitian develops, implements, and monitors nutrition care plans; documents care; makes evidence-based recommendations; conducts disordered-eating assessments; provides weight-management education and individualized medical nutrition therapy; and communicates nutrition concerns to the treatment team. The role also counsels and educates patients, families, staff, and community members. The Dietitian shares general food-and-health information through facility newsletter articles, therapeutic group education, and bulletin boards. Under the oversight of the Dietary Manager, the role contributes to patient-satisfaction planning, menu planning, nutritional analysis, recipe development, compliance with the National School Lunch Program, and individualized meal plans that address medical allergies and patient and caregiver concerns. Additional department responsibilities include meeting participation, in-service training, kitchen inspections, and foodservice quality improvement. The schedule is flexible.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Food and Nutrition or a related field.
Current certification as a Registered Dietitian with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Licensure in accordance with State of Alaska laws.
Must be at least 21 years old.

Responsibilities

Provide nutritional care in accordance with Joint Commission standards, company policies, and professional standards of care.
Perform nutrition assessments using the nutrition care process and relevant clinical information.
Meet with patients to complete assessments and provide education.
Develop, implement, and monitor nutrition care plans.
Maintain timely, thorough documentation and records.
Provide nutrition consultations as ordered by physicians.
Make evidence-based recommendations for nutritional supplementation and conduct disordered-eating assessments.
Provide weight-management education, individualized medical nutrition therapy, meal planning, and nutritional consultations.
Communicate nutrition concerns to members of the treatment team and serve as a nutrition-care resource to the healthcare team.
Counsel and educate patients, families, staff, and community members about medical nutrition therapy.
Provide food-and-health-related articles for the facility newsletter, therapeutic group education, and educational materials such as handouts and bulletin boards.
Assist with strategic planning to improve patient satisfaction, menu planning, nutritional analysis of meals and snacks, and recipe development.
Help ensure compliance with the National School Lunch Program and create individualized meal plans that address medical allergies and patient and caregiver concerns and goals.
Attend dietary department meetings as an educator or co-facilitator; provide facility and department in-service training; and conduct routine kitchen inspections.
Support quality improvement in the foodservice department and assist with special dietary functions, including holiday meals and catering events.
Maintain patient confidentiality.
Help ensure services use current nutrition and dietetics theories, standards, and methods and comply with applicable regulatory bodies, including the FDA and USDA.
Perform other duties as assigned.