WIC Nutritionist III; Point

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES

Work in this class involves providing professional nutritional services with a considerable amount of time being spent in providing comprehensive, complex nutrition services to clients and patients with a variety of medical/nutritional problems; or spending a significant amount of time in supervising a small local health nutrition program concentrating in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) with limited program involvement in the areas of home health, family planning, and hypertension.

Work in this class is found in local health departments and throughout the university system. This level is differentiated from lower levels in the areas of program scope, supervisory accountability, and the in-depth nature of nutritional assessment and counseling. Employees provide nutritional services to clients with a multitude of medical/nutritional problems, which requires a thorough knowledge of disease pathophysiology in relation to nutritional theories and practices.

Employees deal with acute, chronic, and terminally ill clients/patients who are characterized as medical high risk. Employees supervising a small nutrition program are responsible for program planning, organizing priorities and directives, recommending budgetary needs and monitoring expenditures, participating in various personnel functions, and supervising lower level nutritionists and support staff. Employees may become involved in providing training. Work may include other related assignments as determined by the management.

Employees usually report to either a higher-level nutritionist's clinician, or agency director.

Variety and Scope - Employees providing comprehensive, complex nutrition services to clients with a variety of medical/nutritional problems utilize and demonstrate a more comprehensive knowledge of nutrition as it relates to disease pathophysiology. Employees receive the more complex, critical referrals requiring independent analysis of clients' medical condition, researching nutritional requirements of the respective medical problems, and recommending a treatment plan in concert with an interdisciplinary team approach.

Employees may provide technical consultation and training to clinicians in developing the nutrition component of the care plan. Employees supervising a small nutrition program are responsible for planning program goals and objectives, participating in incorporating the nutrition program into other health department program areas and evaluating the effectiveness of program plans. Employees participate in developing clinic flow, patient referral criteria, operational standards, and procedures.

Work requires the employees to develop and justify budgetary needs, coordinate and provide training and serve as a technical resource. Employees participate in the selection, evaluation, and recommendation of disciplinary action of employees, along with supervising a limited number of professional and clerical support staff. Employees spend the remaining time in direct patient services.

Employees providing complex nutritional services to patients with a variety of medically related problems utilize an in-depth knowledge of the field of nutrition and changing professional trends, as well as interpret medical and laboratory information in dealing with the nutritional ramifications of the disease. The clients/patients are usually under the direct care of a clinician and the employees must research the disease pathophysiology, understand and apply its interrelationship to nutrition, and discuss treatment plans, dietary modifications with the clinician.

Employees may have to discuss hospital referred treatment plans and interpret their application to the home environment. Employees in a supervisory capacity are responsible for incorporating agency needs and State directives into a systematic format to meet the program needs. These employees utilize nutritional guidelines and theories in dealing with clients, as well as incorporating various policies and operational procedures into their work plans.

Work requires a thorough understanding of the theories, concepts, practices and techniques of nutrition as it applies to a health care setting. Employees utilize this subject matter knowledge, as well as an in-depth knowledge of the program requirements in providing nutritional care and/or supervising the activities of a nutrition program.

Guidelines include standardized assessments, professional reference materials, nutritional program reference manuals, medical references, and professional standards. Employees independently apply these guidelines, program goals, and standards or seek advice from either a higher level nutritionist, the State Nutrition and Dietary Services branch, or an agency head.

Employees who are responsible for a home health caseload independently plan their daily…