Senior Registered Dietitian

Banner Health; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Banner Health in Tucson, AZ is seeking an experienced Registered Dietitian to lead nutrition care in the Living Donor Program-Hosp. Work with a multidisciplinary team, conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments, and develop care plans for complex patients.

The role involves counseling patients and families, teaching materials, and contributing to quality improvement. Must have 3+ years RD experience, hold current license, and be able to operate in a fast-paced hospital setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, or equivalent coursework.
• Must be a Registered Dietitian (CDR) and maintain active registration.
• Master’s degree required to sit for the RD exam (effective 2024).

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive nutrition assessment and nutrition-focused exams with a designated patient load.
• Develop and manage nutrition care plans and monitor outcomes.
• Deliver nutrition education to patients, families, and staff.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to establish patient care policies and improve quality.
• Mentor staff and interns in nutrition practice and standards.
• Participate in CQI activities to optimize nutrition outcomes.

Skills

Nutrition assessment

Dietetics knowledge

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition/Dietetics

Master’s degree in Nutrition (required for exam eligibility)

Job description

Primary City/State:

Tucson, Arizona

Department Name:

Living Donor Program-Hosp

Work Shift:

Day

Job Category:

Facilities, Environmental Services, and Culinary

Tucson is set in a Sonoran Desert valley surrounded by five mountain ranges. Boasting an average 350 sunny days a year and warm dry air, the climate is ideal for year-round outdoor recreation. Tucson offers one-of-a-kind experiences for those interested in outdoor adventure and nature, heritage and culture, arts and attractions, golf and original Southwest-inspired dining.

At Banner Health, caring is at the heart of everything we do. Guided by our mission to “make health care easier, so life can be better” we strive to foster well-being in the workplace and our communities. We are honored to have earned Great Place To Work® Certification™ for a third year in a row. Great Place To Work certification is the definitive “employer of choice” recognition. This globally recognized benchmark celebrates organizations that deliver an exceptional employee experience.

Must have 3+ years of experience as a Registered Dietitian.

Hours and Schedule:

Monday - Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm

Banner - University Medical Center Tucson is nationally recognized for providing exceptional patient care, teaching future health-care professionals and conducting groundbreaking research. Also located on the campus is Diamond Children’s - recognized for its specialized pediatric services including neonatal and intensive care, emergency medicine and cancer therapies. Banner - University Medical Center Tucson is a Level 1 Trauma Center, meaning we care for the most critically injured patients. The hospital is consistently listed among the nation’s top hospitals in the prestigious Best Hospitals ranking by U.S. News & World Report. The academic medical center has earned Magnet Recognition becoming the only hospital in southern Arizona to meet the rigorous standards of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program® for nursing excellence. The hospital’s physicians are full‑time faculty of the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson. Our specialty services include comprehensive heart and cancer care, advanced neuroscience techniques and a multi‑organ transplant program.

POSITION SUMMARY

This position provides leadership in specialty area of clinical nutrition, establishes practice standards and serves as a mentor to educate colleagues in the specialty nutrition area. This position manages a complex caseload of patients by providing comprehensive nutritional assessments and nutrition-focused physical exams, developing and managing all aspects of appropriate nutrition care plans, and monitoring outcomes of plans. Provides patient and family nutrition counseling and education. Develops Nutrition Standards of Practice and Education material in collaboration with peers. Serves as a member of the interdisciplinary Health Care team providing input and establishing patient care policies, programs, quality improvement activities and provides in‑service education in areas of expertise.

CORE FUNCTIONS

1. Provides comprehensive nutrition assessment of patients’ nutritional needs, to include nutrition‑focused physical exams as appropriate, with at least 50% of patient case load in designated specialty area. Obtains timely and appropriate data and analyzes/interprets data based on evidence‑based standards and established practice guidelines.
2. Demonstrates and maintains competency in enteral and parenteral clinical practice protocols and oral nutrition management standard of practice as demonstrated by successful completion of initial competency exams and ongoing evaluation.
3. Writes orders to initiate and manage the nutrition care and of all assigned patients including those receiving nutrition support (parenteral and enteral nutrition) per protocols.
4. Evaluates effectiveness of the care plan and communicates effectively to the other members of the healthcare team to provide optimal nutrition outcomes. Provides pertinent information in the medical records, patient plans of care and/or clinical pathways while meeting requirements of regulatory agencies (i.e. Joint Commission, CMS, State and Local Agencies).
5. Provides nutrition education to patients, families, staff and other health care team professionals through the development of effective teaching materials and in‑service programs; Evaluates patient and or family response to education.
6. Provides leadership in area of practice, establishing proper patient care procedures and acts as liaison with nursing areas. Establishes and monitors policies and procedures in area of expertise and communicates areas of concern that impact patient care in this area. Assists with program marketing through the development of effective work relationships with internal and external customers to enhance the use of services provided by clinical program. Serves as mentor to new staff and interns where assigned.
7. Participates in and identifies continuous quality improvement activities in clinical areas to ensure optimal nutrition care outcomes are achieved; Participates in clinical nutrition Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities. Provides additional coordination of projects and programs.
8. Demonstrates proficiency in area of practice; Responsible for developing training and educational materials to assist colleagues in developing skills in area of specialty and mentors staff members in area of specialty.
9. This position interacts with patients, families, health care providers and nutrition and dietary staff in support of providing high quality nutrition assessment, care planning, delivery and measurement of outcomes. Customers are patients, visitors, physicians and other staff members, vendors, and payors. Position communicates effectively and provides specialty education to ensure optimum nutritional care. Position works independently and provides guidance to nutrition services staff in the development of nutrition plans. Position may also provide community education. Provides leadership in specialized area of practice through participation in establishing standards and policies and procedures.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Must possess knowledge of nutrition and dietetics demonstrated through the completion of a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, or equivalent coursework. Must be a Registered Dietitian based on academic and professional requirements as defined by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Effective January 1, 2024, CDR requires a minimum of Master’s degree to be eligible to take the registration examination. Must hold current registration through the Commission on Dietetic Registration of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and be able to maintain ongoing registration while providing verification of registration annually. Maintains current licensure as required by State law.

Must possess a level of expertise typically achieved through three to five years clinical experience in a specialty area. Must be able to function independently and be effective at prioritizing assigned patient case load as well as the ability to lead and serve as a resource for issues.

EMPLOYEE REQUIREMENTS (IMPORTANT)

Employees working at Banner Behavioral Health Hospital, BTMC Behavioral, and BUMG, BUMCT, or BUMCS in a Behavioral Health clinical setting that serves children must possess an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card at the time of hire and maintain the card for the duration of their employment. An Arizona Criminal History Affidavit must be signed upon hire.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Additional related education and/or experience preferred.

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