Job Information
NHS Management, LLC Regional Dietitian in Joplin, Missouri
Job Description
GENERAL PURPOSE: To consult, advise and recommend in areas of expertise to maintain quality standards of nutritional care and food service delivery to the residents in long term care.
The Corporate Consultant Dietitian’s role differs from that of a full-time, part-time dietitian or outside consultant firm in that the consultant makes recommendations, considering corporate standards, but does not have the direct authority to implement them. However, the consultant dietitian has the ethical and professional responsibility for the nutritional care of the residents and the effective operation of the food service department of their assigned facilities. The Corporate Consultant Dietitian will work in conjunction with the Director of Dietary Services, Corporate Consultant Nurse and Regional Administrator to assure State and Federal Regulations as well as Corporate Policies are followed.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Must be a Registered Dietitian with the American Dietetic Association and licensed by the appropriate state authority, if applicable
Must be at least 18 years of age
Must have a bachelor’s degree and minimum of one year post graduate experience, preferably in long term care
Must speak and understand English
Previous experience in a supervisory capacity
Must possess a pleasant personality and demeanor
Must demonstrate a desire to work with convalescent, geriatric or light psychiatric residents (as required)
Must be able to travel freely between assigned areas which may include overnight visits
Must maintain a neat and well groomed appearance at all times
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (WITH OR WITHOUT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION):
- Planning and Implementing Nutritional Care Functions
Duties:
Perform initial and continued nutritional assessments of individuals with appropriate documentation.
Assist in updating resident nutritional care plans regularly and document appropriately.
Integrate recommendations into the total health care plan of each resident.
Provide nutritional counseling with residents and/or family and significant others.
Bring to the physician’s attention any individual nutritional inadequacies with appropriate suggestions.
Communicate with the health care team to integrate specific goals and approaches into the total health care plan.
Provide individual counseling regarding food choices and intake to meet optimal nutritional needs.
Provide each assigned facility with approved menus that meet the nutritional needs of each facility’s population.
Evaluation Functions
Duties:
Evaluate each assigned facility’s food preparations and delivery system on a regular basis.
Monitor food service for efficiency, economy and quality.
Make realistic recommendations regarding the dietary department.
Assure presence of well-defined written policies and procedures for all food service activities, food purchasing, handling and storage, food preparation and service, sanitation and safety, review and revise policies and procedures regularly.
Approve all menus and diet modifications.
Assure availability of standardized recipes for regular and modified diets.
Review system of receiving and implementing diet prescriptions with nursing.
Assist in developing budget proposals and cost control procedures consistent with facility policies.
Evaluate equipment needs for new or existing food service facilities and assist in planning layout design.
Evaluate the facilities ongoing sanitation program and make appropriate recommendations to maintain the dietary department’s highest level of sanitation.
Work in conjunction with corporate Purchasing to evaluate new products for potential use in the facilities.
At the end of each facility visit, provide a written report including specific recommendations to each of the following: Administrator, Director of Nursing, Dietary Manager and RN Unit Manager, if appropriate.
Staff Development Functions
Duties:
Assist with the planning, organizing, conducting and evaluating of staff development programs and assure that all mandatory company inservices are provided.
Participate in appropriate facility committees and conferences.
Promote effective communications within the facility and the community.
Maintain professional skills by following current research, literature, and trends relating to nutritional care and effective dietary management by attendance of educational opportunities such as seminars, workshops, and conferences.
Maintain effective written and verbal communications within and among all facilities.
Consult with the Dietary Manager to provide guidance in the management of the department.
Monitor to encourage all Certified Dietary Managers acquire adequate continuing education units to maintain necessary certifications.
If facility does not employ a Certified Dietary Manager, the Consulting Dietitian must act as a preceptor for completion of an approved Dietary Manager’s course.
Residents’ Rights Functions
Duties:
Maintain resident confidentiality; treat residents with kindness, dignity and respect.
Know and comply with Residents’ Rights rules.
Monitor dietary services to ensure that residents’ dietary needs are met.
Ensure that all dietary service personnel are knowledgeable concerning residents’ nutritional needs.
OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS (With or Without Reasonable Accommodation):
- Care Plan and Assessment Functions
Duties:
Assist in developing for each resident preliminary and comprehensive assessments of their dietary needs, assure there are written dietary plans that identify the dietary problems and/or needs of the residents and specific goals and approaches to be accomplished for each dietary problem.
Review nurses’ notes and monitor residents’ weights to determine if the care plans are being followed and if the residents’ needs are being met.
Identify and monitor high-risk residents, ensuring that any special needs and requirements are met.
Safety and Sanitation Functions
Duties:
Assist in developing, implementing and maintaining safety standards, written aseptic and isolation techniques, programs for monitoring communicable and/or infectious diseases among residents and personnel and procedures for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.
Ensure that dietary service personnel maintain habits of good personal hygiene.
Ensure that dietary service personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.
Ensure that dietary service personnel understand and follow Universal Precautions, established safety rules, fire and disaster procedures and departmental policies and procedures.
Ensure cleanliness of dietary service work areas, storage rooms and preparation areas.
Administrative Functions
Duties:
Participate in annual and follow-up State and Federal surveys to provide assistance and guidance.
Attend and participate in various committees and meetings of the facility.
Assist Administrator in the absence of facility Dietary Manager.
Physical and Sensory Requirement for All Functions:
Ability to travel between assigned facilities.
Ability to read and write in English.
Ability to communicate with residents, families, personnel and support agencies.
Ability to remain calm under stress.
Ability to evaluate and interpret information and make independent decisions.
Ability to distinguish smells.
Requirements