Senior Public Health Nutritionist - 64004892

State of Florida • Greenacres, FL

5d • Onsite

About The Position

This is a Senior Public Health Nutritionist position in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program within the Palm Beach County Health Department. The role involves planning and providing comprehensive nutrition care and education services in health clinics and community settings. The position requires independent judgment and initiative, applying general business knowledge and skills to accomplish various job functions. It adheres to prompt payment processes for special formula and maintains confidential information in accordance with FDOH and Palm Beach County Health Department policies. The incumbent will access systems like WIC FL WiSE, HMS, and QFLOW, and may use mass media for nutrition information dissemination. Responsibilities include assessing nutritional needs of clients, providing nutritional care and management for high-risk maternal and child clients, developing care plans, offering individual and group counseling, certifying clients for WIC, and collaborating with the Breastfeeding Coordinator. The role also involves documenting client contacts, providing education consistent with current standards, participating in quality improvement activities, acting on behalf of the supervisor during absences, assisting in staff training and scheduling, providing services in off-site facilities, developing referral networks, coordinating WIC referrals, implementing the WIC Program Plan, providing expert consultation to healthcare professionals, and assisting with field experience for students and interns. Additionally, the position requires performing hemoglobin/hematocrit tests, disposing of contaminated materials, interpreting scientific information, planning teaching aids, and maintaining records and reports.

Requirements

• Knowledge of the science and application of normal and therapeutic nutrition
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others
• Ability to evaluate, analyze and organize information to develop appropriate course of action
• Ability to organize work and control use of time
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing
• Ability to develop and implement education plans and supporting materials
• Knowledge of the policies, philosophy and procedures of the WIC Program
• Incumbents must meet the requirements outlined in Chapter 468, Part X, Florida Statutes, or be eligible to practice dietetics in accordance with Chapter 64B8-40 to 45, Florida Administrative Code.
• Registration as a dietitian as defined by the American Dietetic Association.
• Incumbent may be required to work before, during and/or beyond normal work hours or days in the event of an emergency.
• Emergency duty required of the incumbent includes working in special needs shelters, or performing other emergency duties including, but not limited to, responses to or threats involving any disaster or threat of disaster, man-made or natural.
• Travel throughout Palm Beach County is required.
• Must be able to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 lbs.
• Must be a Licensed dietitian.
• Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS.

Nice To Haves

• Assists in providing field experience for nutrition students and interns.
• Provides continuing education and consultation for WIC staff, CHD staff and community agencies or organizations.

Responsibilities

• Plans and provides comprehensive nutrition care and education services within the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in health clinics and other community settings.
• Assesses nutritional and dietary needs of low risk, high-risk and medically high-risk clients in the community.
• Provides nutritional care, management and education for high risk clients for maternal and child clients.
• Reviews medical data, determines nutritional care needs, and develops plan of care.
• Provides individual and group nutritional counseling for the client population.
• Certifies eligible clients for the WIC Program and provides or arranges for required follow-up.
• Works with Breastfeeding Coordinator to organize, promote, and support breastfeeding for WIC clients.
• Documents client contacts and services in appropriate records.
• Provide nutrition education and counseling consistent with current nutrition/dietetics standards of practice.
• Participates in WIC Program and health center quality improvement activities.
• Participates in teams or committees as appropriate.
• Acts on behalf of the Public Health Nutritionist Supervisor during absences as assigned.
• Participate in the provision and/or arrangement of on-the-job training of staff for nutrition staff.
• Assists in the scheduling and assignment of work functions of nutrition staff to ensure optimum delivery of customer services and nutrition education to participants.
• Provides nutrition services in off-site facilities serving WIC clients.
• Develops referral network with community groups and agencies serving FDOH PBC clients.
• Participates in WIC outreach activities.
• Coordinates WIC referrals from private providers and HMO’s.
• Participate in the implementation of the WIC Program Plan and program objectives.
• Provides expert consultation and technical assistance to health care professionals and health center staff.
• Works with health care team to ensure that comprehensive nutritional care is provided for clients.
• Assists in providing field experience for nutrition students and interns.
• Participates in staff meetings, in-service training and other staff development activities.
• Provides continuing education and consultation for WIC staff, CHD staff and community agencies or organizations.
• Perform hemoglobin/hematocrit tests according to FDOH CHD Laboratory Procedure Manual and DHM 150-24 as needed.
• Disposes of blood contaminated materials in compliance with OSHA regulations.
• Interprets and disseminates current scientific information for target audiences.
• Plans and coordinates assembly of audio and visual teaching aids.
• Maintains records and reports.
• Completes time sheets, Employee Activity Reports (EARS) and other reports as needed and according to established deadlines.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition waivers

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed