Dietitian (Clinical)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the Cleveland VA Medical Center seeks a Full Time Dietitian (Clinical) to advance nutrition care using the Nutrition Care Process, develop evidence-based Medical Nutrition Therapy, and collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to enhance patient outcomes.

You will assess, diagnose, intervene, and monitor nutrition needs, provide patient education, utilize virtual care when appropriate, and help implement new initiatives while maintaining documentation

Qualifications

• Must be a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Registered Dietitian (RD) certified by the CDR.
• ACEND accreditation requirements for foreign education if applicable.
• Experience with the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT).
• Ability to develop patient-centered goals and apply evidence-based nutrition practices.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive nutrition assessments and establish nutrition diagnoses.
• Develop and implement Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) plans; monitor and adjust as needed.
• Document care using the ADIME format in the medical record.
• Collaborate with Food Operations and clinical teams to improve patient care and dining experiences.
• Utilize virtual care technology to improve access to care; maintain productivity and records.

Skills

NCP/Nutrition Care Process

Evidence-based practice

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Virtual care

Patient education

Education

RDN or RD credential

Job description

Summary

Incumbent in this assignment serves as a Full Time Dietitian (Clinical) within the Clinical Section of Nutrition and Food Service for the Cleveland VA Medical Center. They perform increasingly complex tasks as they continue to develop skills in clinical nutrition to apply evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines. Continuing to learn to interpret research - apply whole health principles - and develop patient-centered goals.

Summary

Incumbent in this assignment serves as a Full Time Dietitian (Clinical) within the Clinical Section of Nutrition and Food Service for the Cleveland VA Medical Center. They perform increasingly complex tasks as they continue to develop skills in clinical nutrition to apply evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines. Continuing to learn to interpret research - apply whole health principles - and develop patient-centered goals.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Registered Dietitian (RD) - Must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing branch of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics formerly known as the American Dietetic Association (ADA)
• Exception for GS-07 and GS-09 Only: Dietitians who do not possess the RDN/RD credential
• Non-credentialed Dietitians who otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below - but do not possess the RDN credential - may be given a full-time temporary appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)
• May only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential
• Non-credentialed Dietitians must have fulfilled each of the following: Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university or foreign equivalent
• Foreign Education: To be creditable - college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND and meet ACEND's International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam
• ~AND~ Completed an ACEND accredited experiential or supervised practice program and provide a verification statement from the program director that conveys eligibility to take the CDR registration exam as a prospective RDN
• A list of ACEND accredited programs are located on the ACEND website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory
• Current VHA Dietitians that qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision may not be promoted to a higher grade if they do not meet the current RDN/RD requirements
• Grade Determinations: GS-07 Dietitian (Clinical) (Entry Level Developmental) - No additional requirements beyond the basic requirements
• GS-09 Dietitian (Clinical) (Developmental) - Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-09 you must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) OR a master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college in the field of dietetics or closely related field
• Your experience or education must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements
• Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care
• Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g. - assessment - diagnosis - intervention - monitoring and evaluation)
• Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes
• Ability to develop patient-centered goals
• Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies
• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders
• GS-11 Dietitian (Clinical) (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-11 up must possess at least 1 year of experience as an RDN/RD equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) which demonstrates the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: Skill in delivering patient care using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) (e.g. - assessment - diagnosis - intervention - monitoring - and evaluation)
• Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes
• Skill in developing patient-centered goals
• Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies
• Skill in collaborating with stakeholders
• Ability to comply with various accrediting - regulatory and agency authorities
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment
• A pre-placement physical examination is required for employees in Home Based Primary Care due use Government Vehicles perform duties of the position.

Duties

• Duties for Dietitian (Clinical) include - but may not be limited to the following: Conducts comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP) - including nutrition focused physical examinations - to establish a nutrition diagnosis and determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition
• Develops and implements Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address the nutrition diagnosis - evaluates and monitors the effectiveness and outcomes of MNT interventions
• Modifies the plan as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes
• Calculates nutrient requirements and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions tailoring the diet prescription to each individual patient
• Documents MNT in the medical record using the Assessment - Diagnosis - Intervention - Monitoring - Evaluation (ADIME) format
• Functions independently and accurately when record keeping
• Identifies patients in need of nutritional support and recommends the appropriate mode of support and communicates appropriately with the health care team
• Actively participates in formal and informal interdisciplinary team meetings
• Assesses educational needs and provides nutrition education/counseling for individuals and groups that is tailored to the Veteran(s)
• Utilizes virtual care technology to improve access to care
• Maintains productivity standards
• Maintains accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and completes patient encounters using approved systems
• Ensures continuous improvement of safe and quality care of Veterans
• Leads activities in the implementation of new initiatives
• Uses data in the development of measures - data evaluation - and initiation of corrective actions
• Complies with The Joint Commission requirements and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care
• Collaborates with the Food Operations Section and department leadership to enhance the Veterans' dining experience - support patient satisfaction - and serve as a liaison between clinical units and the Food Operations Section
• May perform other related duties as assigned which are appropriate for this grade and assignment
• Work Schedule: Full-Time (40 hours per week) Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: PD99531S - PD99530S - and PD99529S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorize