Pediatric Transplant Registered Dietitian

Overview

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values - integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion - must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.

In tandem with the Hospital's Business Plan and Performance Improvement Process, demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to manage the nutrition care of patients throughout the lifecycle in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Ensures that optimal nutrition is provided to patients based on medical and age specific needs. Uses knowledge of growth and development, the medical sciences, psychology and socio -economic factors, as they apply to clinical or community dietetics in an inpatient or outpatient setting respectively. Evaluates patients for nutritional risk and recommends and facilitates the implementation of age appropriate nutrition care plans and behavioral changes to promote sound dietary choices in health and disease. Translates the science of nutrition and the study of food into practical applications as an adjunct medical therapy. Manages an internship rotation as assigned.

EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran
Responsibilities

• 1. 1. Patient Nutrition Care 1 .1 Is courteous and helpful to all patients or customers. Listens and responds to all patient concerns as they relate to clinical or ambulatory nutrition care. Maintains a positive image of Yale-New Haven Hospital. 1 .2 Maintains patient confidentiality by following all pertinent HIPAA requirements. 1. 3 Demonstrates competency in providing age appropriate medical nutrition therapy specific to assigned patient populations. 1 .4 Conducts nutrition assessments that accurately reflect the patient's nutritional risk factors (which include age) in relation to their medical and/or psychiatric condition and treatment, adhering to section standards of practice, as evidenced by PI monitors. Designs age appropriate modified diets in accordance with written physician diet orders and adapts them to best fulfill individual needs and conform to the client's educational level. Makes recommendations to healthcare team regarding medical nutrition therapy to ensure optimal nutritional management, as evidenced by PI monitors, documented patient/consumer feedback and as observed by supervisor. 1 .5 Follows through on recommendations made by implementing age appropriate nutrition care plans as demonstrated by documentation in the medical record, interdisciplinary plan of care (IPOC), inpatient dietitian's notebook or ambulatory nutrition history forms and through timely follow-up documentation according to section standards of practice, as evidenced by PI monitors. 1 .6 Assesses patient/family readiness to learn and provides patient/family education regarding diet and/or medical nutrition therapy, as need is identified. 1 .7 Interviews and counsels patients/families to recommend and implement medical nutrition therapy, that is appropriate for age and medical/psychiatric condition(s), and adjusted for individual preferences, needs and lifestyle as observed by management and from patient feedback. 1 .8 Makes recommendations for referrals to other health care providers/services or follow-up after discharge as appropriate. Documents educational activities, and/or referral recommendations in the medical record and on patient discharge forms according to inpatient section standards or as evidenced by documented communication with the referring physician in outpatient setting. 1 .9 Develops/revises nutritional care guidelines and/or patient educational materials as assigned and reviews with supervisor by established deadlines. Demonstrates written communication skills that are clear, concise, grammatically correct and appropriate for the target audience as evidenced by written reports, memos, meeting minutes, and professional/consumer writing. 1 .10 Provides patient nutrition care and education in a manner that demonstrates fiscal responsibility and sensitivity to hospital/department cost containment initiatives as evidenced by developing realistic nutritional care plans, appropriately managing and/or justifying nonstandard or special food and formulary requests, justifying counseling/educational services delivered and through the judicial use of forms, supplies and time, as monitored by management. 1 .11 Participates on pertinent patient care rounds, task forces and committees (i.e., patient satisfaction, clinical PI teams, or community/consumer focus groups) as requested or assigned. Provides oral and/or written feedback to supervisor as directed. 1 .12 Maintains effective communications both intra and interdepartmentally to facilitate the delivery of effective medical nutrition therapy by demonstrating effective oral and written communication skills as they relate to assigned responsibilities. Keeps pertinent staff (i.e., peers, support personnel, food service and clinical management staff, and health care team members) apprised of progress, problems, and concerns, including proposed solutions and recommended actions, as evidenced by clinical record keeping, documentation of food
• 2. 2. Patient Nutrition Care (specific to inpatient setting) 2.1 Evaluates patients' nutritional needs and risk of malnutrition past initial screening consult by primary caregiver, within 24 hours. Achieves 95% compliance based on section standards of practice, as evidenced by performance improvement (PI) monitors. 2.2 Prioritizes patient care to assure that all patients, who have or are at high risk for malnutrition, are nutritionally assessed and that age appropriate recommendations and care plans are documented in the medical record and IPOC according to section standards of practice, as evidenced by PI monitors. 2.3 Responds to all subsequent physician/nursing consults within 24 hours, with age appropriate recommendations documented in the medical record and IPOC, as evidenced by PI monitors. 2.4 Verifies the appropriateness of all diet orders upon preliminary nutrition evaluation . Clarifies with the health care team, as needed. Adjusts orders through CCSS, as evidenced by PI monitors
• 3. 3. Patient Client Services (specific to outpatient setting) 3 .1Uses current educational techniques to instruct individuals and groups on optimal nutritional strategies to promote health and aid in the treatment of disease, as evidenced by documented consumer feedback and as observed by supervisor. 3 .2Demonstrates knowledge of insurance and billing for medical nutrition therapy through appropriate coding and following federal (i.e., CMS, HIPAA), state and YNHH guidelines in completing all required patient forms.
• 4. 4. Service Management 4 .1 Uses common sense and past experience to identify and solve problems that are encountered in the clinical or outpatient nutrition care setting. 4 .2 Demonstrates effective organizational skills and uses understanding of YNHH performance standards to ensure the smooth and timely delivery of clinical nutrition and counseling services on assigned patient care units or in ambulatory settings. 4 .3 Demonstrates an understanding of YNHH services and programs and facilitates working relationships with other departments. 4 .4 Maintains all clinical documentation, including notebooks, medical records, IPOC, clinic shadow files, productivity, financial data and formula records as appropriate to assigned setting, in an accurate and up-to-date manner that conforms to HIPAA and section standards of practice , as evidenced by department PI and productivity monitors. 4 .5 Submits all assigned written reports and record keeping forms by establishing deadlines without being reminded more than twice annually, as observed by management. 4 .6 Reviews/revises section policies and procedures pertinent to areas of responsibility annually, and reviews recommendations/revisions with supervisor. 4 .7 Participates, as a peer reviewer, in all assigned section clinical PI monitors, as assigned or requested. Follows reviewer guidelines by accurately completing monitor surveys and submitting them by established deadlines. 4 .8 Participates in patient satisfaction survey process by conducting 10 in-house patient satisfaction surveys or 10 meal rounds each month or distributing outpatient satisfaction surveys to all new patients. 4 .9 Monitors dietetic technician responsibilities to ensure that clinical operations, including age appropriate menu corrections and patient satisfaction programs, are conducted according to standards of practice and by established deadlines, as evidenced by PI monitors and as observed by management (inpatient only). 4 .10 Monitors patient food quality and conformance to departmental and medical nutrition therapy standards by accurately conducting tray assessments with food service management staff , as assigned on the monthly tray assessment schedule. Makes recommendations for, or writes/revises, patient menus as assigned (inpatient only). 4 .11 Attends section and departmental staff meetings and in-services. Reviews meeting minutes and follows through on section/departmental directives, as evidenced by PI monitors and as observed by management. 4 .12 Prepares for any and all regulatory agency visits. Results will be zero Type I recommendations. 4 .13 Annually completes pertinent JCAHO in-services. 4 .14 Assures patients are presented with an appropriate, well-organized counseling environment, by maintaining a professional Nutrition Clinic setting (outpatient only). 4 .15 Recommends and implements changes in financial/operational procedures, as observed by management (outpatient only).
• 5. 5. Professional Development 5 .1 Adheres to professional guidelines and regulations. Exhibits a businesslike manner in the work place. 5 .2 Maintains registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and other credentialing bodies, as appropriate. Maintains state certification as a dietitian-nutritionist, as required. 5 .3 Participates in section/hospital sponsored continuing education activities and identifies pertinent age specific or population specific nutrition issues related to area of interest or specialty as evidenced by documented continuing education (i.e., CDR Professional Development Portfolio and/or CE Credits) and participation in journal club. 5 .4 Possesses a knowledge of departmental policies and procedures and keeps current with major procedural changes; demonstrates knowledge of job priorities; can be used as a resource in area of nutritional expertise, as observed by management.
• 6. 6. Dietetic Intern Education 6 .1 Collaborates in the management of all aspects of the assigned rotation. 6 .2 Directly coaches day to day internship operations. Identifies obstacles to individual learning; discusses solutions with supervisor and implement revised teaching strategies. 6 .3 Develops/revises behavioral objectives, including age and/or population specific goals for intern assignments and formal evaluations following the American Dietetic Association Competency Statements as the foundation for learning experiences. Reviews educational objectives and formal evaluation tools annually with supervisor. 6 .4 Provides informal intern feedback throughout their rotation by reviewing initial drafts of assignments, reviewing and co-signing chart notes, and providing guidance and direction in carrying out planned experiences, as evidenced by PI monitors, intern feedback and management observation. 6 .5 Provides timely formal feedback by conducting intern evaluations within two weeks after completion of the rotation, adhering to faculty evaluation guidelines, as monitored by supervisor. 6 .6 Conducts formal and informal intern evaluations in a fair and objective manner as evidenced by written documentation, intern feedback, and management observation. 6 .7 Conducts formal dietetic intern classes, complete with written lesson plans/outlines as assigned by supervisor. Class content will be monitored by management for teaching strategies employed and appropriateness of information taught in terms of delivery time, relevance to clinical practice and intern feedback.

Qualifications

EDUCATION

B.S. degree from an accredited college or university with successful completion of an accredited /approved American Dietetic Association didactic program in dietetics, and post baccalaureate dietetic internship. Must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration. CT State dietitian-nutritionist certification or certification eligible.

EXPERIENCE

A minimum of one (1) year practical experience in clinical dietetics, clinical practice in an acute care or outpatient care facility preferred, depending on position opening.

SPECIAL SKILLS

Excellent oral and written communications skills required. Must be able to disseminate scientific information to other health professionals, as well as translate into laymen's terms for purposes of patient education. Must be able to work well both independently to prioritize patient care, and as part of the healthcare team. Must be able to use common computer software systems such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and nutrient analysis programs.

YNHHS Requisition ID

177955