Registered Dietitian
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. Serves as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team and supports the organization’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAI) activities, and process improvement efforts that help patients achieve individualized goals determined by their physicians. The Registered Dietitian assesses patients’ knowledge of diet and kidney disease, delivers individualized nutrition education and counseling, completes nutritional assessments, calculates diet prescriptions, and contributes to individualized plans of care. The role monitors patients’ nutritional status and response to nutrition therapy, identifies patients who are malnourished or at risk, reviews nutrition-related laboratory results, recommends appropriate actions, and documents care in accordance with company policies and applicable regulations. The position collaborates with patients, families and caregivers, physicians, facility staff, and interdisciplinary team members on nutrition-related care, including dialysis adequacy, mineral metabolism, renal bone disease, anemia and iron status, psychosocial needs, vascular access, rehabilitation, and sodium and volume control. It also participates in quality improvement and care plan meetings, coordinates appropriate patient education and referrals, and maintains professional registration and continuing education. Work takes place in a healthcare facility and includes desk and computer work, interaction with patients and care teams, and travel between assigned facilities and other locations in the community. Travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required. The role has no supervisory responsibilities.
Requirements
- Registered Dietitian credential as defined by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
- Current state licensure, if applicable.
- At least one year of professional work experience in clinical nutrition as a Registered Dietitian.
- Demonstrated leadership competencies and skills, including teaching ability, strong organization, 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.
- Participate in developing written, individualized comprehensive plans of care in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements.
- 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 regulations.
- Provide ongoing nutrition assessment and outcome-oriented counseling to help patients achieve and sustain effective nutritional status.
- Identify malnourished patients and patients at risk for malnutrition; 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 address those barriers through the plan of care.
- Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team on Urea Kinetic Modeling recommendations to achieve the physician’s Kt/V prescription.
- Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team on mineral metabolism, renal bone disease, anemia and iron status, nutritional and psychosocial status, vascular access, modality, rehabilitation, and sodium and volume control.
- Follow company 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.
- When appropriate, work with the Case Manager to coordinate patient education and identify candidates for physician referral for nutritional supplements under disease management agreements.
- Review nutrition-related laboratory results, counsel patients and/or caregivers, formulate appropriate actions, recommend treatment changes, and communicate with physicians and facility staff as appropriate.
- Communicate laboratory results and recommended treatment changes to providers in nursing facilities, hospitals, and short- and long-term care facilities.
- Participate in applicable staff, quality improvement, and care plan meetings.
- Consult with the FMS Corporate Dietitian regarding nutrition concerns as needed.
- Maintain and improve professional knowledge and skills.
- Maintain dietetic registration and continuing education hours as specified by the American Dietetic Association and applicable state licensure regulations.
- Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to ensure work areas are safe and clean.
- Perform other assigned nutrition-management and related duties.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Education Level
No Education Listed
