Registered Dietitian

Dietitian Position

The primary purpose of your position is to plan, organize, develop, and direct the overall clinical operation of the Food Services Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards guidelines, and regulations, that govern the Facility, and as may be directed by the Administrator, to assure that quality nutritional services are being provided on a daily basis.

As a Dietitian you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.

Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position.

Administrative Functions:

• Assume the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability of directing all aspects of the Clinical Nutrition Department.
• Completes and updates dietary assessments as part of the comprehensive resident assessment process. Assessments identify residents’ current needs for dietary services and those residents at nutritional risk.
• Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct the Facility’s Clinical programs, and activities.
• Coordinates with food service activities and other related departments (i.e., Nursing, Environmental, Activities, Social Services, etc.), as necessary.
• Develop, implement, and maintain written departmental policies that apply to your area. Ensure staff is aware of and follows established policies.
• Be responsible for obtaining, maintaining, and filing material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for hazardous chemicals used or stored in the Food Services Department. Ensure staff is trained in the use of MSDSs.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing necessary forms, reports, evaluations, studies, etc., that may apply to your area.
• Review the department’s policies, procedure manuals, diet manual, etc., at least annually for revisions. Make recommendations to the Administrator.
• Make written oral reports and recommendations to the Administrator or Director of Nursing, as necessary or required, concerning the operation of the Clinical Department.
• Review and develop a plan of correction for any clinical deficiencies noted during state and federal surveys and provide a written copy of such plan to the Administrator for his or her approval.
• Submit accident or incident reports to the Human Resources Delegate within twenty-four (24) hours of their occurrence.
• Develop and implement a food service organization structure.
• Develop, implement, and maintain an ongoing quality assurance program for the Food Services Department pertaining to your area.
• Verifies resident information daily regarding new admissions, diet order changes, room changes, and daily census.
• Assist in planning the clinical portion of the resident’s discharge plan.
• Participate in the Facility’s state and federal surveys (inspections), as directed.
• Assist in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job related dietary functions to ensure that tasks involving potential exposure to blood and body fluids are properly identified and recorded.
• Assist in developing methods for determining quality and quantity of food served.
• Ensure that charted clinical assessments and progress notes are timely, with a descriptive plan for any nutrition interventions.
• Ensure that menus are maintained and filed in accordance with current industry standards of practice as well as established policies and procedures. Sign all extensions and menu changes.
• Maintain an adequate liaison with families and residents.
• Assist in planning regular and special diet menus as prescribed by the attending physician.
• Prepares standard recipes and daily production sheets from each menu cycle for dietary staff.
• Assist the Food Services Director in planning menus, work schedules, etc., as required.
• Review therapeutic and regular diet plans and menus to assure they comply with the physician’s orders.
• Review the dietary requirements of each resident…