Senior Clinical Dietitian

Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Senior Clinical Dietitian position is responsible for functioning as an experienced clinician at the requirements established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). In addition to fulfilling the duties of clinical dietitian, primary responsibilities for this position include application of the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) including the completion of the nutrition assessment, determination of the nutrition diagnosis, developing and implementing nutrition intervention(s) and monitoring and evaluating of the patient's progress.

The Senior Clinical Dietitian position serves as a preceptor for dietetic interns and mentors entry level clinicians, students, interns and other departmental employees, working closely with the interprofessional healthcare team to provide inpatient/outpatient care that is integrated and compatible with the patient-focused goals and objectives. This position participates in department and quality improvement projects for inpatient or outpatient departments.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY:
    We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION:
    We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY:
    We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT:
    We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE:
    We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.
• Practices the Caring and Serving Model
• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards
• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)
• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience
• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job
• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Consults individually with clients regarding nutritional concerns. Recommends nutrition plans to clients based on physical results, goals and concerns. Corresponds with other health care professionals regarding client's nutrition care plan as necessary.
• Acts as a resource person for all nutrition inquiries and provide counseling while upholding Houston Methodist and industry standards of ethics. Uses therapeutic communication, which includes active listening and teaching, to establish a relationship with patients, families and interprofessional health care team to collaborate on the plan of care.
• Helps drive improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assesses the nutrition status of clients and/or patients. Implements nutritional care according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Nutrition Care Process (NCP). Develops and instructs nutrition education classes in conjunction with dietitian team. Consistently evaluates the patient's comprehension and adapts teaching methods accordingly. Utilizes evidence‑based knowledge applied to the patient's condition and recommends change in the plan of care.
• Advocates on patient/family's behalf to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns, utilizing appropriate resources.
• Initiates improvements towards department score for patient satisfaction, through peer-to-peer accountability to service standards.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Self‑initiates cross‑coverage assistance to ensure continuity of care. Identifies and documents evaluation of outcomes. Collaborates with health care team to document correct degree of malnutrition in EMR to ensure adequate intervention for positive outcomes.
• Provides care to increasingly complex patients coordinates care with the interprofessional team. Utilizes sound clinical judgement, using an evidence‑based analytical approach to ensure patient nutrition needs are met.
• Ensures continuity of care by completing quality monitors. Identifies areas of practice improvements with research‑based evidence to achieve patient safety outcomes, supported by accurate documentation. Completes quality indicators for meeting department and hospital targets on the clinical nutrition dashboard.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Completes activity/productivity & other reports on timely basis. Utilizes resources with cost effectiveness and value creation in mind.…