Registered Dietitian

Advocate Health • Chicago, IL

7d • $31 - $46

About The Position

The Registered Dietitian provides clinical nutrition care for hospital inpatients and, as needed, outpatients. The role includes screening, prioritizing, assessing, and treating patients; developing individualized nutrition plans; prescribing nutrition-related orders within the Medical Nutrition Therapy protocol; and documenting care in the electronic medical record. The dietitian adapts workflow to patient census, acuity, consults, and staffing needs and collaborates with physicians, pharmacy, nursing, food and nutrition services, care management, and other interdisciplinary teams.

The dietitian manages specialized enteral and parenteral nutrition, including assessing nutrient and fluid needs, monitoring tolerance and effectiveness, and coordinating Total Parenteral Nutrition with pharmacy. The role also includes identifying and treating malnutrition, conducting Nutrition Focused Physical Examinations, supporting quality and regulatory initiatives, documenting billable diagnoses and quality indicators, and educating patients and families.

Additional responsibilities may include supporting outpatient programs, precepting dietetic students and medical residents, providing nutrition lectures and in-services, contributing to system clinical nutrition initiatives, and providing coverage at other sites. The position is part-time, with weekdays and some weekends and holidays. The work environment includes a normal office environment, with possible remote work and travel between sites.

Requirements

• Dietitian certification issued by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
• Registered Dietitian (RD) registration with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• Illinois licensure by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, if working in Illinois; Wisconsin certification by the Department of Safety and Professional Services, if working in Wisconsin.
• Bachelor's degree if CDR registration eligibility was obtained before January 1, 2024; graduate degree (master’s, practice doctorate, or doctoral) if initial CDR registration is obtained on or after January 1, 2024.
• Successful completion of an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program.
• Didactic experience in clinical nutrition from an ACEND-approved program.
• Advanced knowledge of clinical nutrition and Nutrition Focused Physical Examinations.
• Ability to respond to the needs of a diverse patient population.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organization, decision-making, time-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, lift, squat, bend, reach above shoulders, and twist frequently during the work shift; occasionally lift 25 pounds.
• Functional vision, hearing, speech, and touch.
• Ability to operate equipment necessary to perform the job.

Responsibilities

• Provide ongoing Medical Nutrition Therapy for the inpatient census, including screening, prioritizing, assessing, and recommending interventions.
• Develop and implement individualized nutrition plans based on medical history, laboratory data, interviews, physical examinations, life-cycle needs, and diagnoses.
• Document nutrition care in the electronic medical record in accordance with clinical documentation and coding standards.
• Prescribe and manage enteral and parenteral nutrition, including calculating nutrient, fluid, and electrolyte needs; evaluating tolerance and effectiveness; and coordinating with physicians and pharmacy.
• Prescribe therapeutic diets, oral nutrition supplements, nutrition support regimens, vitamins and minerals, fluid management, and laboratory work within the MNT protocol.
• Collaborate with food and nutrition services, physicians, nursing, and other teams to align intake, diet restrictions, allergies, supplements, tube feedings, and patient preferences with care plans.
• Recommend appropriate formula and supplement substitutions during supply-chain disruptions and develop patient-specific menus for complex dietary needs.
• Identify, treat, and prevent malnutrition; conduct Nutrition Focused Physical Examinations; document findings; and educate patients with moderate or severe malnutrition.
• Document Global Malnutrition Composite Score elements and participate in QAPI, regulatory readiness, safety, and compliance efforts.
• Identify and document billable nutrition diagnoses and enter outpatient nutrition charges when applicable.
• Provide clinical support to hospital-based outpatient programs as needed.
• Precept dietetic graduate students and medical residents, monitor progress, provide feedback, and deliver nutrition orientation or lectures as applicable.
• Coordinate nutrition goals and transitions of care with discharge planners, home health, care management, physicians, pharmacy, and interdisciplinary teams.
• Educate patients and family members about prescribed diets and nutrition therapy through counseling and classes; provide teammate in-services as applicable.
• Contribute to system clinical nutrition initiatives, evidence-based practice changes, projects, and operational updates involving clinical systems, menus, procedures, and policies.
• Act as a liaison between clinical nutrition, nursing, and physicians to support system initiatives and provide coverage at other sites as needed.

Benefits

• Paid time off programs.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
• Adoption assistance and paid parental leave.
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs.
• Educational Assistance Program.
• Career development programs.
• Potential premium pay, incentive pay for select positions, and annual performance-based increases.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level