Lead Dietitian

Lead Dietitian

Are you passionate about the patient experience? At HCA Healthcare, we are committed to caring for patients with purpose and integrity. We care like family! Jump-start your career as a Lead Dietitian today with St. David's Medical Center.

Job Summary and Qualifications

Responsible for the patient nutritional assessment, care plans, and diet education.

General Responsibilities

1. Performs the nutritional assessments for patients by the protocols set by the clinical nutrition dept.

• Assess patient nutritional needs. Screens patients at risk. Accepts referrals from clinical assistants, clerks, nurses and physicians for patients at risk. Obtains nutritional histories as appropriate. Recommends calorie counts as appropriate.
• Interprets, negotiates, calculates, and executes physician orders for modified diets.
• Develops and implements nutrition care plans.
• Provides written and verbal education to patients and families on nutritional needs as ordered by MD, or other members of the hospital staff, on individual basis or in classes. Recommends outpatient education/follow-up as appropriate.
• Records and documents appropriate information in Meditech and in patient medical records. Accurately processes and records patient charges for nutrition services.
• Develops, reviews, and revises the patient instructional materials and diet manual.
• Maintains and submits statistical data as assigned.
• Demonstrates clinical management skills in planning, organizing and achieving improvements on assigned unit.
• Demonstrates ability to organize his/her own time and work activities.
• Demonstrates ability to analyze a situation, identify the process and make appropriate decisions.

• Possesses thorough and current knowledge of theory and practices of nutritional care

• Keeps abreast of current information and research.
• Established professional goals for self-improvement within the framework of clinical and departmental goals before December 1st of each year.
• Determines with clinical manager and adheres to realistic schedule for achieving goals and/or projects.
• Provides mentoring and positive/constructive feedback on complex issues.

• Communicates and cooperates with all hospital personnel to achieve the overall objectives of the Food service department.

• Communicates with the Food & Nutrition Manager on a daily basis regarding work completion and any concerns that arise.
• Responsible for good working relationships with the unit clerks and nursing personnel.
• Communicates necessary information to clinical staff members and follows appropriate channels of communication.
• Communicates with food services staff and supervisors to assure all patients receive the diet order and tray prescribed.
• Demonstrates ability to accept and adapt to new ideas and to accept constructive criticism from others.
• Works as a responsible member of the health care team maintaining a professional working relationship with all other team members
• Represent SDMC and Dietitians in committees and hospital wide functions.

• Performs miscellaneous job duties as assigned.

• Assists in covering the diet office procedures as needed.
• Assist with data entry of new menus in computrition or other related tasks.
• Must develop and lead a Quality Improvement Project annually.
• Assist in the training of new hires during onboarding and precept ongoing.
• Leads, guides, and trains interns throughout clinical rotation.
• Development of training and support materials for interns, Dietitians, medical staff and patients.
• Assigned duties are completed as designated and in a timely manner.

Competencies Expected and Evaluated

1. Performance and behaviors must be aligned with and support the St. David's Healthcare Mission, Vision, Values and Goals.

• Mission: To provide exceptional care to every patient, every day with a spirit of warmth, friendliness and personal pride.
• Vision: To be the finest care and service organization in the world.
• Values: Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence
• Goals: Exceptional Care, Customer Loyalty and Financial Strength

• Employees are expected to follow:

• All hospital/departmental policies and procedures
• All service excellence programs (AIDET, Key Words/Key Times, Hourly Rounding, Bedside Shift Report, etc.)
• Ethics and Compliance Program
• Values Commitment
• Patient and Employee safety/security policies and protocols
• Comply with all requirements of employment (license/certification, annual education, vaccine preventable diseases/annual flu requirements)

Experience Required

3+ years of Registered Dietitian and 1 year combination of training/experience in Critical Care setting

Experience Preferred

5+ years of Registered Dietitian and 3+ years in critical care setting.

Education Required

• Bachelor's Degree: Nutrition
• Masters of Science in Nutrition
• Successful completion of an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) approved dietetic internship or equivalent

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• Current Registered Dietitian license with the state of Texas
• Current registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration

Benefits

St. David's Medical Center, offers a total rewards package that supports the health, life, career and retirement of our colleagues. The available plans and programs include:

• Comprehensive benefits for medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, behavioral health and telemedicine services
• Wellbeing support, including free counseling and referral services
• Time away from work programs for paid time off, paid family leave, long- and short-term disability coverage and leaves of absence
• Savings and retirement resources, including a 401(k) Plan with a 100% match on 3% to 9% of pay (based on years of service), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, flexible spending accounts, preferred banking partnerships, retirement readiness tools, rollover support and financial wellbeing counseling
• Education support through tuition assistance, student loan assistance, certification support, dependent scholarships and a partnership with Galen College of Nursing
• Additional benefits for fertility and family building, adoption assistance, life insurance, supplemental health protection plans, auto and home insurance, legal counseling, identity theft protection and consumer discounts

Learn more about Employee Benefits

Note: Eligibility for benefits may vary by location.

St. David's Medical Center, part of St. David's HealthCare, is a comprehensive medical facility with three locations: St. David's Medical Center, Heart Hospital of Austin, and St. David's Georgetown Hospital . Located in Central Austin, St. David's Medical Center features a 371-bed acute care hospital and a 64-bed rehabilitation hospital, offering a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services.

The hospital provides a full spectrum of women's services, including a renowned Level IV maternity unit, maternal-fetal medicine, and a high-risk maternal and neonatal transport team. It also boasts the region's largest Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and offers outpatient breast imaging services through Solis Mammography, which is situated on-site. Additionally, the facility includes a 24-hour emergency department and a comprehensive stroke center.

St. David's Medical Center specializes in treating high-acuity surgical patients, offering complex procedures such as spine surgeries, total joint replacements, advanced surgical oncology, bariatric surgery, and general surgery. It is also home to the esteemed Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute. The hospital has earned accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Magnet® hospital, the highest and most prestigious distinction a healthcare organization can achieve for nursing practice and quality patient care.

HCA Healthcare has been recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute more than ten times. In recent years, HCA Healthcare spent an estimated $3.7 billion in cost for the delivery of charitable care, uninsured discounts, and other