Clinical Dietian I

Dominican Hospital; Live Oak (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, California seeks a Clinical Dietitian to deliver expert nutrition care and develop individualized patient plans. You will communicate nutrition data across systems and participate in health team meetings as the resident nutrition expert.

Role requires integrating clinical expertise with evidence-based care, adhering to professional standards, and fostering effective communication with patients and healthcare teams.

Qualifications

• ACEND-accredited dietetics program required.

Responsibilities

• Performs nutritional assessment using age and gender appropriate standards and validated tools leading to nutrition diagnoses when indicated.
• Implements targeted nutrition interventions and provides education to patients and families; monitors and updates care plans.
• Collaborates with Food and Nutrition Services to improve patient experience and ensure diet orders align with manuals.
• Develops and monitors individualized intervention plans with feeding routes and nutrition prescriptions.

Education

ACEND-accredited dietetics program

Job description

Job Summary and Responsibilities

As a Clinical Dietitian, you will provide expert nutrition care, developing and implementing individualized plans to improve patient health outcomes.

Every day you will clearly communicate nutritional data across all systems and participate in health team meetings as the resident nutrition expert.

To be successful in this role, you will integrate robust clinical expertise with empathetic, evidence‑based care, consistently adhering to professional standards and fostering effective communication with patients and healthcare teams.

• Performs nutritional assessment using age and gender appropriate standards, cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds; and utilizing validated assessment tools resulting in nutrition‑related diagnosis when indicated. Conducts routine screening to identify patients at nutritional risk. Collaborates within an interdisciplinary environment to contribute to facilitating care and identifying patients at nutrition risk or needing higher levels of care.
• Implements targeted and specific nutrition intervention(s). Provides customized nutrition education to patients and/or families and caregivers. Works within an interdisciplinary environment to contribute toward overall patient care. Closely monitors, evaluates and rescreens patient nutrition status as appropriate. Updates plan of care as necessary. Follow up with patients as needed.
• Develops an intervention plan which includes appropriate feeding route, mode, and nutrition prescription unique to patient's specific needs, in accordance with physicians' orders. Monitors and evaluates patient response to interventions by meeting specific measurable goals documented in the nutrition care plan in a timely and thorough manner in the medical record.
• Collaborates with the Food and Nutrition Services team to enhance patient experience. This includes participating in test trays, menu reviews, periodic auditing of trayline for accuracy of diet orders, validating menu compliance with the facility Diet Manual Handbook and Nutrition Care Manual (NCM), supporting with patient interactive positions (i.e. dietitians, diet clerks, interns, etc.), maintaining communication with patients, staff, and guests and providing excellent customer service. Participates in peer reviews and chart audits, and collaborates in Diet Manual Handbook training for all clinical staff (new registered dietitians, nurses, therapists, physicians, etc.), including how to access it in hard and soft copy.

Job Requirements

Required

• Bachelors Other completion of accredited dietetics program (ACEND - Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics)., upon hire
• Registered Dietician, within 90 Days or
• Registered Dietitian ADA, within 90 Days or
• Registered Dietitian AND, within 90 Days or
• Registered Dietitian CDR, within 90 Days
• Until registration is obtained, documentation in a patient's medical record must be signed off by a dietitian that is registered and licensed (if applicable).

Where You'll Work

Founded in 1941, Dignity Health - Dominican Hospital is a 188-bed, acute care, nonprofit hospital located in Santa Cruz, California. Serving over 80,000 patients annually, the hospital offers a full complement of services including heart care, orthopedics, and a Family Birthing Center. Additionally, Dominican Hospital has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. It is a Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center, and has been awarded the AMA/ASA’s Get the Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement, recognizing the hospital’s commitment to providing the best stroke care.

One Community. One Mission. One California