Clinical Dietitian

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The essential functions of this position include the following. This list is not intended to be exclusive or exhaustive. There may be additional essential functions based on the unique nature of the position or environment.

• Participates in regularly scheduled conferences including department head meetings, Resident at Risk meetings and interdisciplinary care plan meetings.
• Oversees the purchase of food and supplies within budget and maintains a supply to adequately cover each meal.
• Provides technical guidance and administrative direction over diet planning, menu formulation, preparation and service of regular and therapeutic diets.
• Ensures menus meet resident nutritional needs, preferences, and follow physician orders and regulatory guidelines.
• Interviews residents or family members, as necessary, to obtain diet history.
• Participates in maintaining records of the resident’s food likes and dislikes.
• Confirms that charted nutritional progress notes are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident’s response to the service.
• Visits residents periodically to evaluate quality of meals served, likes and dislikes, etc.
• For Registered Dietitians with one location, they provide timely and accurate completion of nutritional portion of MDS, CAA, Resident Care Planning, and Progress Notes as well as Nutritional Assessment, Nutritional Data Card, Diet Card and other requirements as per facility policy and procedures to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. For Registered Dietitians with multiple locations, this function may vary.
• Monitors weekly and monthly weights and collaborates with nursing personnel to make appropriate recommendations.
• Monitors meals to ensure they provide nutritious, well-prepared, and palatable meals in a timely and consistent manner while adhering to menus and diet orders.
• Verify appropriate meals/snacks are served to residents with special dietary needs.
• Monitors food production, maintaining use of standardized recipes and menus and ensuring proper preparation and storage of food and supplies.
• Monitors tray line and meal service to ensure the highest level of quality and timeliness of food service is maintained.
• Monitors to ensure adequate food and supplies for disaster preparedness as required by state and federal regulations.
• Assists in creating job assignments and setting priorities.
• Meets facilities policies and state and federal regulations regarding sanitation and safe food handling techniques.
• Conducts at least monthly sanitation rounds of the kitchen and related areas to ensure regulatory requirements and sanitation are maintained.
• Assists with the development of plans of correction following State, Federal and QA surveys, as needed.
• Maintains records, manages budget and supplies.
• Monitors equipment and work areas to verify they are maintained in a clean, safe and orderly manner; maintains strict adherence to procedures regarding cleaners or hazardous materials or objects; verifies universal precautions and infection control, isolation, fire, safety and sanitation

Registered Dietitian

Revisions: 08/01/2026

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practices and procedures are followed; and promptly addresses any hazardous conditions and equipment.

• Monitors food preparation and food storage areas to ensure that health and sanitation regulations are being met.
• Reviews resident diet information and care plans, discusses with resident, family, and nursing staff, as necessary to make appropriate changes.
• Creates and implements procedures for department equipment to be operated only by trained, authorized personnel in a safe manner.
• Participates in Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement initiatives.