Overall Summary:
Prevent and treat illness by promoting healthy eating habits and recommending dietary modifications. Provide nutritional services by assessing patients' individual needs and developing, implementing and evaluating nutrition programs. Counsel patients on nutritional practices designed to prevent disease and promote healthy eating. Instruct patients and their families in nutritional care plans to include diet modification, grocery shopping and food preparation. Lead group nutrition class for chronic, perinatal and pediatric patients. Work with medical providers and other care providers to coordinate medical and nutritional needs. Assist in defining nutrition policies and procedures based on evidence-based practices.
Essential Responsibilities:
Under the general direction of the Wellness Program Manager, the Nutrition Services Coordinator performs a variety of complex, professional, analytical, and confidential Medical services. Duties include:
- Present oral and written ideas in a clear, concise and persuasive manner to professionals and the public. Nutrition Services Coordinators often are called upon to provide information on the program or nutrition to co-workers and other community partners.
- Assist in the budget planning process for nutrition services and procure nutrition education materials.
- Coordinate the nutrition services at the clinic level and with other health department, internal and community programs.
- Design, review and coordinate nutrition education contacts and nutrition education materials for patients.
- Provide in-service training for staff regarding nutrition education.
- Mentors nutrition interns and volunteers.
- Provide nutrition counseling to high-risk patients.
- Assist in defining nutrition policies and procedures based on evidence-based practices.
- Develop and implement individualized dietary care plans utilizing nutritional assessment methodology to include planning individualized menus and calculating and planning modified diets to meet nutritional and psychological needs, ensuring conformance to physicians orders and high standards of food quality.
- Interview patients and review medical and dietary history to determine food preferences and dietary habits and to assess nutritional needs; correlate information with patients medical progress and plan meal patterns for the patient; make appropriate notations and recommendations on the patients chart.
- Instruct patients and/or their families regarding diets; develop and provide instructional materials to assist patients in their home dietary program.
- Coordinate and lead group nutrition class for chronic, perinatal and pediatric patients.
- Consult with medical providers and other members of the health care team to provide information regarding patients dietary history, to ensure compatibility of the dietary care plan with other health care plans, to discuss unusual dietary needs or preferences of patients, to resolve problems and to implement changes.
- Evaluate effectiveness of dietary care plan in relation to patients medical progress and modify or revise dietary care plan as required; prepare and maintain various records and reports pertaining to dietary services provided.
- Work flexible schedule as necessary.
Secondary Responsibilities:
- Attend seminars and lectures to keep abreast of current research trends.
- Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Qualifications
Required Education, Experience, Training:
- Bachelors degree in dietetics, food and nutrition, or a related field.
- Currently credentialed as Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)
- Certified Diabetes Educator status from the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE) or in possession of a relevant board specialty certification by CDR
- Bilingual - Spanish highly desirable
- Experience in providing direct nutrition services to families, mothers, and children
Preferred Education, Experience, Training:
- Two years of directly related experience.
- Experience in public health or community health.
Certifications/Licenses:
- Registered Dietitian Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian (RDN/RD) status from the Commission of Dietetic Registration (credentialing agency for the AND)
- Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) status from the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE) or board certified through CDR
Work Conditions:
Travel locally to visit other sites, may require a day or overnight trip to attend events; workload may be demanding at times; require professionalism and confidentiality.
Physical Demands:
This position requires:
- Sitting, walking, and standing associated with a normal medical, clinical and administrative office environment, with some bending, reaching, stretching, and lifting up to 25 pounds.
- Manual dexterity for tasks involving standard office equipment and computer keyboard, including repetitive movements, such as typing.
- Traveling to work sites, including some exposure to outside elements.
- Exposure to potentially dangerous materials and situations, requiring adherence to extensive safety precautions and possibly the use of protective equipment.
Supervises:
None