Registered Dietitian Outpatient

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under supervision of the Outpatient Nutrition Manager, the Outpatient Dietitian assesses, develops, and coordinates medical nutrition therapy and education activities for patients with complex nutritional needs in the treatment of acute and chronic diseases including but not limited to diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, medical weight loss, CKD, and GI disorders within the Internal Medicine department at Boston Medical Center. The dietitian plans and provides nutritional care to patients per outpatient nutrition department policies and procedures by evaluating patient status and need, and adapting dietary interventions to individual patient needs taking into account nutritional status, environmental or social barriers, and cultural diversity utilizing appropriate and proven counseling modalities. The dietitian evaluates and assesses patient compliance, and physiological response to diet therapy though direct interview, lab values, monitoring tolerance of foods or tube feedings and actively coordinates with other providers in the development and implementation of patient care plans. The Outpatient Dietitian plays a key role in the creation and management of complex dietary regimens and protocols within the department and plays an active role in developing nutrition based programming, and in the mentorship and education of peers, staff, and students while demonstrating consistent high level of competency.

Position: Registered Dietitian Outpatient       

Department: Primary Care Clinic

Schedule: Full Time

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Behavioral Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to work independently and organize workload within daily time constraints

• Strong interpersonal skills, must work effectively, professionally, and confidently with a diverse group of patients and healthcare providers

• Performs as reliable and productive staff member within the standards set by the Nutrition Department; works well as an interdisciplinary team member, projecting a positive supportive attitude to patients, physicians and staff

• Adheres to departmental and clinical policies and procedures. Consults with appropriate personnel concerning managerial or patient issues

• Demonstrates flexibility in workflows, performing duties of other staff members when requested within scope of practice, and accommodating patient needs

• Maintains neat, organized and professional work spaces, personal appearance

• Utilizes hospital’s behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to support the hospital’s mission and goals, and follow established hospital safety procedures.

Clinical Knowledge & Skills

• Strong knowledge of food and nutrition, with ability to perform nutrition assessment, formulate nutrition plans, and provide nutrition counseling and education to adult patients on a referral basis, and follow-up counseling to patients requiring long term nutritional intervention. Assesses nutritional status based on laboratory values, medical and nutritional history and medical/surgical condition; develops nutritional care plans based on this information in accordance with accepted (AND) standards of practice and written department protocols.

• Provides nutrition education and engages patients in behavior modification skills in both individual and group settings as needed.

• Maintains records and provides periodic reports to referring and other care providers as needed

• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide MNT appropriate for multitude of conditions, demonstrating familiarity and be willing to actively work towards developing competency over variety of dietary interventions, especially regarding the treatment of obesity and diabetes.

• Attend all clinical meetings, rounds, or committees to present nutrition care plans as needed

• Develops and plans individual diet intervention including necessary medical food supplements and/or tube feedings; monitors tube feedings for tolerance and assists MD in determining increases in rate, changes in tube feeding products and strength as appropriate.

• Assist in patient and clinician outreach through lectures, community events, and other marketing opportunities as needed. Assists in patient orientations and support groups as requested.  

Leadership:

• Provided in-service education in nutrition to hospital personnel such as MD’s, residents, students, nurses, dietary personnel.

• Acts as a preceptor in the education/training of dietetic interns and medical students from universities and hospitals; assigns work to students as appropriate, supervises the student’s practical experience such as individual counseling and group teaching by students; develops Learning Activities. 

•  Assists with interviewing new perspective dietitians and participating in the training/onboarding processes for new employees as needed

Program Development/Research:

• Compiles and develops educational materials for use in individual and group classes.

• Participates with operations leadership, medical leadership, and Nutrition Manager in proposing and developing policies and procedures, CQI monitors, guidelines and standards of care, records and calculates results on clinical projects. Takes proactive role in monitoring patient retention, and coordinates work to achieve maximum productivity as needed.

• Participate in department clinical research as it relates to nutrition care by providing necessary nutrition education and monitoring

• Actively develops strategies resulting in growth of the clinic. Works closely with Nutrition Manager and hospital leadership to develop and implement nutrition programs

OTHER DUTIES:

• Performs related duties as needed. Generally schedule is Monday through Friday, mostly between 8am-5pm, although some evening hours may be required.

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job.  The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• BS in Nutrition, Dietetics, or related subject required.  Master’s degree preferred.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

• Must be registered by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics or RD eligible and able to become registered before start date.

• Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist in Massachusetts or able to obtain within 30 days of hire.

EXPERIENCE:

• Must have completed internship as prescribed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

• Experience as a clinical dietitian in an outpatient setting preferred.

• Experience working with patients suffering from diabetes preferred.

Compensation Range:

This range offers an estimate based on the minimum job qualifications. However, our approach to determining base pay is comprehensive, and a broad range of factors is considered when making an offer. This includes education, experience, skills, and certifications/licensures as they directly relate to position requirements; as well as business/organizational needs, internal equity, and market-competitiveness. In addition, BMCHS offers generous total compensation that includes, but is not limited to, benefits (medical, dental, vision, pharmacy), discretionary annual bonuses and merit increases, Flexible Spending Accounts, 403(b) savings matches, paid time off, career advancement opportunities, and resources to support employee and family well-being. 

NOTE: This range is based on Boston-area data, and is subject to modification based on geographic location.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans

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