Dietitian Technician

WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital; Princeton (WV); On-site; USD 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

PCH Princeton Community Hospital is seeking a Diet Technician to support nutrition screening, diet education, and calorie counts for patients under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian. This role involves interviewing patients, assisting with care plans, and communicating with the care team in an acute care setting.

Applicants should have a high school diploma and a valid Food Handler card, with certification steps within 30 days.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• Current Food Handlers card required.
• Must obtain within 30 days of hire: state Food Safety/ServSafe or local county health dept.

Responsibilities

• Assist Dietitian in collecting nutritional data for screening and risk evaluation.
• Interview patients to obtain food preferences and diet history.
• Discuss needs with health care team as directed by Dietitian.
• Determine if nutritional assessment is needed and coordinate with Dietitian.

Skills

Math skills

Communication skills

Time management

EPIC proficiency

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Tools

EPIC system

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Email

Hospital paging system

Job description

The Diet Technician is responsible for performing nutrition screens, diet education, calorie counts, and any other duties related to patient’s nutritional care within the scope of the position and as assigned and overseen by the Registered Dietitian.

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure

• High School diploma or equivalent
• Current Food Handlers card as required by County DHHRORobtained within30 daysof hire throughONEof the following:
• StateFoodSafety.com
• ServsafeNational Restaurant Association
• Local County Health Department

Preferred Qualifications

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure

• Enrolled in a Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered course with expected completion within 1 year of hire.

Experience

• Experience in hospital food service.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned.

• Assists Dietitian in collecting basic nutritionally relevant patient/resident data to perform nutritional screening and preliminary nutritional risk evaluation.
• Interviews patients/residents to obtain food preferences, diet history and related information.
• Discusses patient/resident needs with the health care team as directed by the Dietitian.
• In an acute care setting, determines whether the patient/resident may require a nutritional assessment which is performed by the Dietitian. In a skilled nursing setting/long term care unit, determines the immediacy/urgency of a nutritional assessment, care plan, and intervention that is performed by the Dietitian.
• Assists Dietitian in providing nutritional education for patient/resident and their families involving principles of special therapeutic diets; reviews current dietary practices of patient/resident and their families; evaluates patient/resident understanding and expected level of compliance; makes recommendations for follow-up education with guidance of Dietitian.
• Collects pertinent clinical data from patient/resident medical records in order to accurately identify current nutrition problems; utilize approved, institution specific documentation standards to chart pertinent nutritional information into patient/resident medical record to be reviewed and signed off by Dietitian.
• Assists Dietitian in performing nutritional analysis; calculates and analyzes patient/resident food and fluid intake, weight records, menu patterns and enteral nutrition formula orders.
• Assists Dietitian in implementing patient/resident nutritional preferences and monitors care plans; retrieves clinic information; generates reports and performs other duties utilizing computerized systems.
• Assists with orienting and on-boarding new staff to the food and nutrition services department.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work requires lifting and carrying objects weighing up to 10 pounds and occasionally lifting and carrying objects weighing 11 to 20 pounds.
• Work requires regularly stooping, bending, sitting and standing.
• Work requires frequently reaching and grasping objects below, at and above shoulder level.
• Work requires regularly pushing and/or pulling non-motorized equipment (e.g., stretcher, food cart, mop, etc.) weighing 21 to over 50 pounds.
• Work requires regularly grasping and fine manipulation with hands.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Majority of work is performed in the nutrition department and patient/resident care areas. Most of the work is completed standing/walking. Frequent classroom and meeting room work. Majority of work is performed under deadline pressure, which is often stressful.
• Potential exposure to blood borne pathogens. Job requires performance of tasks that involve potential for exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues.

Skills And Abilities

• Work requires the analytical skills to resolve problems that require the use of basic scientific, mathematical, or technical principles. Strong math skills are required.
• Work requires the ability to exchange information on factual matters, and respond to simple written or verbal instructions, explain hospital policies, and/or relay messages to appropriate personnel. This type of interaction requires courtesy and tact when dealing with patients, visitors and/or hospital employees. More sensitive situations may be referred to others as appropriate.
• Requires excellent time management skills.
• Must be able to read and write in the medical records.
• Must have excellent communication skills with the ability to teach nurses, patients/residents, family members, interns, food service workers.
• Requires the use of multiple computer skills including EPIC system, e-mail, Microsoft Word, Excel, etc. Telephone skills, hospital paging system skills required.
• Must keep up to date on all professional literature in the field of nutrition by reading journals and joining list serves.
• Must have the ability to create and interpret schedules for staff.
• Work requires regularly proofreading and checking documents for accuracy.
• Ability to understand written and oral communication.

Additional Job Description

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Exempt/Non-Exempt

Shift:

United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Company

PCH Princeton Community Hospital

Cost Center

600 PCH Dietary

Address

122 12th Street

Princeton

West Virginia

Equal Opportunity Employer

West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively "WVUHS") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. WVUHS strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All WVUHS employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.