Clinical Dietitian/Nutritionist

Provides comprehensive nutrition care to patients of all ages. Assesses nutrition needs, develops, implements, and reevaluates care plans for patients of all ages. Educates patients and family members. Communicates patient issues to the health care team.

• Nutritional Care:
  
  
  
  • Provides comprehensive nutrition care to assigned patients by assessing nutrition needs, developing, implementing, and reevaluating nutrition care plans.
  
  
  
  
• Performance Expectations:
  
  
  
  • Performs initial screening of patients on assigned units and determines patient nutrition risk level classification (e.g., low, moderate, or high risk) according to established nutrition care policy.
  • Completes comprehensive nutrition assessment of patients on assigned units who are at high nutrition risk or at moderate risk within 24-48 hours of admission, and evaluates nutrition requirements on assigned units according to established nutrition care policy.
  • Completes nutrition assessment of patients on assigned units who are at low nutrition risk within 6 days of admission according to established nutrition care policy.
  • Approves diet orders written in the physician's order book for diet order changes and initiation and advancement of enteral feedings according to established policy.
  • Calculates patient nutrition requirements using standardized formulas (i.e., determine estimated calorie, fluid, protein requirements).
  • Develops nutrition care plan for patients as assigned.
  • Recommends to physicians diet and/or diet changes and appropriate enteral formulas and nutrition supplements when needed to meet patients' calorie-protein requirements.
  • Recommends nutrition support consultation when patients are unable to meet nutrition needs through p.o. intake.
  • Monitors changes in patient's nutrition status and evaluates ongoing appropriateness of diet prescription through meal rounds, calorie counts.
  • Arranges for outpatient/home care services and special (e.g., enteral formulas/nutrition supplements as needed), prior to patient discharge.
  • Refers patients to social services as needed prior to discharge.
  
  
  
  
• Patient/Family Education:
  
  
  
  • Provides information to patients, family, and caregivers on recommended diets and nutrition topics.
  
  
  
  
• Performance Expectations:
  
  
  
  • Provides in-service education on nutrition-related topics such as new enteral nutrition formulary, therapeutic diets, and relevant policies and procedures, for health care team members on assigned units as needed.
  • Prepares relevant outline of in-service, related handouts prior to in-service and submits these along with a list of attendees to Manager of Clinical Nutrition and Patient Services upon completion of in-service.
  • Precepts dietetic internship students in clinical rotation as assigned; explains and demonstrates required clinical practice; assesses student performance and provides feedback; reports student progress to Supervisor.
  • Counsels inpatients, outpatients, families, or other caregivers on prescribed diets based on the patient's learning needs assessment and in consideration of the patient's cultural, religious, and ethnic food preferences. Evaluates patients' comprehension and anticipated adherence to diet and documents in the medical record.
  
  
  
  

• Required Skills & Experience:
  
  
  
  • Two (2) - four (4) years of experience.
  • Computer Literacy - beginner.
  
  
  
  
• Preferred Skills & Experience:
  
  
  
  • N/A
  
  
  
  

• Required Education:
  
  
  
  • Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition or related field required.
  
  
  
  
• Preferred Education:
  
  
  
  • Master's Degree.
  
  
  
  
• Required Certifications & Licensure:
  
  
  
  • Dietitian/Nutritionist NYSED.