Dietitian (Clinical)

Summary 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. Clinical Dietitians collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans' dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction. Summary 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. Clinical Dietitians collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans' dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction. Qualifications United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy Language Proficiency: Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) 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 Current VHA Dietitians that qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision may not be promoted to a higher grade if they do not meet the current RDN/RD requirements Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level) GS-07: Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements GS-09: Experience: At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.OR Education: Master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSA's: (a) Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements

• b) Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care
• c) Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g. - assessment - diagnosis - intervention - monitoring and evaluation)
• d) Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes
• e) Ability to develop patient-centered goals
• f) Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies
• g) Ability to collaborate with stakeholders

GS-11: Experience: At least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSA's: (a) Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g. - assessment - diagnosis - intervention - monitoring and evaluation)

• b) Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes
• c) Skill in developing patient-centered goals
• d) Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies
• e) Skill in collaborating with stakeholders
• f) Ability to comply with various accrediting - regulatory and agency authorities

Preferred Experience: None Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - puling - and pushing May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions the area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Duties Duties include but are not limited: Conducts comprehensive nutrition assessments using 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 Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm subject to change based on the needs of the facility Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: PD995502S / 99501S / 99500S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs