Pediatric Transplant Registered Dietitian

• 1. 1. Patient Nutrition Care
  1 .1 Is courteous and helpful to all patients or customers. Listens and responds to all patient concerns as
  they relate to clinical or ambulatory nutrition care. Maintains a positive image of Yale-New Haven
  Hospital.
  1 .2 Maintains patient confidentiality by following all pertinent HIPAA requirements.
  1. 3 Demonstrates competency in providing age appropriate medical nutrition therapy specific to assigned
  patient populations.
  1 .4 Conducts nutrition assessments that accurately reflect the patient's nutritional risk factors (which
  include age) in relation to their medical and/or psychiatric condition and treatment, adhering to section
  standards of practice, as evidenced by PI monitors. Designs age appropriate modified diets in
  accordance with written physician diet orders and adapts them to best fulfill individual needs and
  conform to the client's educational level. Makes recommendations to healthcare team regarding
  medical nutrition therapy to ensure optimal nutritional management, as evidenced by PI monitors,
  documented patient/consumer feedback and as observed by supervisor.
  1 .5 Follows through on recommendations made by implementing age appropriate nutrition care plans as
  demonstrated by documentation in the medical record, interdisciplinary plan of care (IPOC), inpatient
  dietitian's notebook or ambulatory nutrition history forms and through timely follow-up documentation
  according to section standards of practice, as evidenced by PI monitors.
  1 .6 Assesses patient/family readiness to learn and provides patient/family education regarding diet and/or
  medical nutrition therapy, as need is identified.
  1 .7 Interviews and counsels patients/families to recommend and implement medical nutrition therapy, that
  is appropriate for age and medical/psychiatric condition(s), and adjusted for individual preferences,
  needs and lifestyle as observed by management and from patient feedback.
  1 .8 Makes recommendations for referrals to other health care providers/services or follow-up after discharge
  as appropriate. Documents educational activities, and/or referral recommendations in the medical
  record and on patient discharge forms according to inpatient section standards or as evidenced by
  documented communication with the referring physician in outpatient setting.
  1 .9 Develops/revises nutritional care guidelines and/or patient educational materials as assigned and
  reviews with supervisor by established deadlines. Demonstrates written communication skills that are
  clear, concise, grammatically correct and appropriate for the target audience as evidenced by written
  reports, memos, meeting minutes, and professional/consumer writing.
  1 .10 Provides patient nutrition care and education in a manner that demonstrates fiscal responsibility and
  sensitivity to hospital/department cost containment initiatives as evidenced by developing realistic
  nutritional care plans, appropriately managing and/or justifying nonstandard or special food and
  formulary requests, justifying counseling/educational services delivered and through the judicial use of
  forms, supplies and time, as monitored by management.
  1 .11 Participates on pertinent patient care rounds, task forces and committees (i.e., patient satisfaction,
  clinical PI teams, or community/consumer focus groups) as requested or assigned. Provides oral
  and/or written feedback to supervisor as directed.
  1 .12 Maintains effective communications both intra and interdepartmentally to facilitate the delivery of
  effective medical nutrition therapy by demonstrating effective oral and written communication skills as
  they relate to assigned responsibilities. Keeps pertinent staff (i.e., peers, support personnel, food
  service and clinical management staff, and health care team members) apprised of progress, problems,
  and concerns, including proposed solutions and recommended actions, as evidenced by clinical record
  keeping, documentation of food
• 2. 2. Patient Nutrition Care (specific to inpatient setting)
  2.1 Evaluates patients' nutritional needs and risk of malnutrition past initial screening consult by primary
  caregiver, within 24 hours. Achieves 95% compliance based on section standards of practice, as
  evidenced by performance improvement (PI) monitors.
  2.2 Prioritizes patient care to assure that all patients, who have or are at high risk for malnutrition, are
  nutritionally assessed and that age appropriate recommendations and care plans are documented in the
  medical record and IPOC according to section standards of practice, as evidenced by PI monitors.
  2.3 Responds to all subsequent physician/nursing consults within 24 hours, with age appropriate
  recommendations documented in the medical record and IPOC, as evidenced by PI monitors.
  2.4 Verifies the appropriateness of all diet orders upon preliminary nutrition evaluation . Clarifies with the
  health care team, as needed. Adjusts orders through CCSS, as evidenced by PI monitors
• 3. 3. Patient Client Services (specific to outpatient setting)
  3 .1Uses current educational techniques to instruct individuals and groups on optimal nutritional strategies
  to promote health and aid in the treatment of disease, as evidenced by documented consumer feedback
  and as observed by supervisor.
  3 .2Demonstrates knowledge of insurance and billing for medical nutrition therapy through appropriate
  coding and following federal (i.e., CMS, HIPAA), state and YNHH guidelines in completing all required
  patient forms.
• 4. 4. Service Management
  4 .1 Uses common sense and past experience to identify and solve problems that are encountered in the
  clinical or outpatient nutrition care setting.
  4 .2 Demonstrates effective organizational skills and uses understanding of YNHH performance standards to
  ensure the smooth and timely delivery of clinical nutrition and counseling services on assigned patient
  care units or in ambulatory settings.
  4 .3 Demonstrates an understanding of YNHH services and programs and facilitates working relationships
  with other departments.
  4 .4 Maintains all clinical documentation, including notebooks, medical records, IPOC, clinic shadow files,
  productivity, financial data and formula records as appropriate to assigned setting, in an accurate and
  up-to-date manner that conforms to HIPAA and section standards of practice , as evidenced by
  department PI and productivity monitors.
  4 .5 Submits all assigned written reports and record keeping forms by establishing deadlines without being
  reminded more than twice annually, as observed by management.
  4 .6 Reviews/revises section policies and procedures pertinent to areas of responsibility annually, and
  reviews recommendations/revisions with supervisor.
  4 .7 Participates, as a peer reviewer, in all assigned section clinical PI monitors, as assigned or requested.
  Follows reviewer guidelines by accurately completing monitor surveys and submitting them by
  established deadlines.
  4 .8 Participates in patient satisfaction survey process by conducting 10 in-house patient satisfaction
  surveys or 10 meal rounds each month or distributing outpatient satisfaction surveys to all new patients.
  4 .9 Monitors dietetic technician responsibilities to ensure that clinical operations, including age appropriate
  menu corrections and patient satisfaction programs, are conducted according to standards of practice
  and by established deadlines, as evidenced by PI monitors and as observed by management (inpatient
  only).
  4 .10 Monitors patient food quality and conformance to departmental and medical nutrition therapy standards
  by accurately conducting tray assessments with food service management staff , as assigned on the
  monthly tray assessment schedule. Makes recommendations for, or writes/revises, patient menus as
  assigned (inpatient only).
  4 .11 Attends section and departmental staff meetings and in-services. Reviews meeting minutes and follows
  through on section/departmental directives, as evidenced by PI monitors and as observed by
  management.
  4 .12 Prepares for any and all regulatory agency visits. Results will be zero Type I recommendations.
  4 .13 Annually completes pertinent JCAHO in-services.
  4 .14 Assures patients are presented with an appropriate, well-organized counseling environment, by
  maintaining a professional Nutrition Clinic setting (outpatient only).
  4 .15 Recommends and implements changes in financial/operational procedures, as observed by
  management (outpatient only).
• 5. 5. Professional Development
  5 .1 Adheres to professional guidelines and regulations. Exhibits a businesslike manner in the work place.
  5 .2 Maintains registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and other credentialing bodies, as
  appropriate. Maintains state certification as a dietitian-nutritionist, as required.
  5 .3 Participates in section/hospital sponsored continuing education activities and identifies pertinent age
  specific or population specific nutrition issues related to area of interest or specialty as evidenced by
  documented continuing education (i.e., CDR Professional Development Portfolio and/or CE Credits) and
  participation in journal club.
  5 .4 Possesses a knowledge of departmental policies and procedures and keeps current with major
  procedural changes; demonstrates knowledge of job priorities; can be used as a resource in area of
  nutritional expertise, as observed by management.
• 6. 6. Dietetic Intern Education
  6 .1 Collaborates in the management of all aspects of the assigned rotation.
  6 .2 Directly coaches day to day internship operations. Identifies obstacles to individual learning; discusses
  solutions with supervisor and implement revised teaching strategies.
  6 .3 Develops/revises behavioral objectives, including age and/or population specific goals for intern
  assignments and formal evaluations following the American Dietetic Association Competency
  Statements as the foundation for learning experiences. Reviews educational objectives and formal
  evaluation tools annually with supervisor.
  6 .4 Provides informal intern feedback throughout their rotation by reviewing initial drafts of assignments,
  reviewing and co-signing chart notes, and providing guidance and direction in carrying out planned
  experiences, as evidenced by PI monitors, intern feedback and management observation.
  6 .5 Provides timely formal feedback by conducting intern evaluations within two weeks after completion of
  the rotation, adhering to faculty evaluation guidelines, as monitored by supervisor.
  6 .6 Conducts formal and informal intern evaluations in a fair and objective manner as evidenced by written
  documentation, intern feedback, and management observation.
  6 .7 Conducts formal dietetic intern classes, complete with written lesson plans/outlines as assigned by
  supervisor. Class content will be monitored by management for teaching strategies employed and
  appropriateness of information taught in terms of delivery time, relevance to clinical practice and intern
  feedback.

EDUCATION

B.S. degree from an accredited college or university with successful completion of an accredited /approved American
Dietetic Association didactic program in dietetics, and post baccalaureate dietetic internship. Must be registered
with the Commission on Dietetic Registration. CT State dietitian-nutritionist certification or certification eligible.

EXPERIENCE

A minimum of one (1) year practical experience in clinical dietetics, clinical practice in an acute care or outpatient
care facility preferred, depending on position opening.

SPECIAL SKILLS

Excellent oral and written communications skills required. Must be able to disseminate scientific information to
other health professionals, as well as translate into laymen's terms for purposes of patient education. Must be able
to work well both independently to prioritize patient care, and as part of the healthcare team. Must be able to use
common computer software systems such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and nutrient analysis
programs.