Dietitian (Clinical)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Erie (Erie County); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the United States is seeking a Dietitian (Clinical) to serve within the Clinical Section of Nutrition and Food Services.

The role emphasizes evidence-based nutrition practice, autonomous clinical work, and collaboration with Veterans, caregivers, and healthcare teams. The Dietitian will interpret research, apply whole health principles, and develop patient-centered goals to improve outcomes.

Qualifications

• US citizenship required; non-citizens may be appointed only when required by VA policy.
• Must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) as an RDN/RD.
• Non-credentialed Dietitians who meet basic requirements may be given a full-time temporary appointment (GS-07/09).
• Non-credentialed Dietitians must have earned a bachelor’s or higher degree from a US regionally accredited college or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP) including nutrition-focused physical exams.
• Develop and implement Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address nutrition diagnoses and monitor outcomes.
• Tailor diet prescriptions to individual patients and document in the medical record (ADIME).
• Provide nutrition education/counseling to Veterans and families.
• Utilize virtual care technology to improve access to nutrition care.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and Food Operations to enhance patient dining experience.
• Maintain productivity and accurate daily clinical records.
• Participate in performance improvement and data evaluation activities.
• Ensure compliance with accrediting/regulatory standards and assist with new initiatives.

Skills

NCP

Evidence-based nutrition

Virtual care

Patient-centered care

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

RDN/Registered Dietitian credential

Bachelor's degree or higher in dietetics or related field

ACEND-accredited program completion

Job description

Summary

The Dietitian (Clinical) is in the Clinical Section of Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) serving as the medical nutrition expert. They work autonomously in applying evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines. Clinical Dietitians coordinate nutritional care of Veterans with other health care providers - the Veteran - the Veteran's caregiver - and the community. They interpret research and utilize whole health principles to develop patient-centered goals and improve outcomes.

Summary

The Dietitian (Clinical) is in the Clinical Section of Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) serving as the medical nutrition expert. They work autonomously in applying evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines. Clinical Dietitians coordinate nutritional care of Veterans with other health care providers - the Veteran - the Veteran's caregiver - and the community. They interpret research and utilize whole health principles to develop patient-centered goals and improve outcomes.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification / licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Hospital Experience 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-07 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service.

Duties

• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Functional Statement #: Dietitian (Clinical)GS-0630 / 99529-S Major Duties Include but not limited to: 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
• Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized