REGISTERED DIETICIAN NUTRITIONIST (RDN)
Anticipated Schedule: Flexible hours Monday- Friday. 24-40 hours/week.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) provides nutrition consultation and education for patients and their families who are screened at nutrition risk, identified with nutrition risk, and/or referred by physicians or other healthcare providers for nutrition-related problems, chronic disease management, management of nutrition support, to meet regulatory requirements, or for prevention and wellness. The RDN is an integral part of the multidisciplinary team who serves as the patient's nutrition advocate. The RDN ensures that the patient's nutrition needs are being met, including when nutrition support (enteral or parenteral) initiation and/or management is necessary, during patient care, clinic visits, and unit/clinic rounds.
The RDN works independently and performs business and supervisory functions, such as management of resources in a cost-effective manner, and participates in compliance and quality performance improvement efforts to ensure nutrition care is safe and effective.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Completes nutritional assessment of inpatients and outpatients for both Cherokee Regional Medical Center and Heartland Care Center.
- Coordinates patient education, diet instructions, and menu preparations.
- Provides medical nutrition therapy, education, and counseling to both inpatient and outpatients in accordance with physician orders.
- Participates in discharge planning with patients as needed.
- Participates in coordination of the DSMT program.
- Assists with the employee wellness program.
- Provides nutrition education at the Wellness Center.
- Reviews and approves all menus and diet manuals.
- Develops and implements an effective quality improvement program for the departments (dietary, diabetes education, and nutrition).
- Prepares capital and operating budgets for the nutrition department and diabetes education center.
- Provides consultant services as contracted through the hospital.
- Provides community nutritional education services throughout the year.
- Works in conjunction with Dietary Manager to:
- Promote philosophy, goals, and objectives of the department and hospital.
- Maintain compliance with accrediting and regulatory agencies.
- Meet approved operating expense budget or accounts for any variances. Works with other departments to assure cost savings for the hospital.
- Coordinate the development and revision of department policies and procedures.
- Plan educational/in-service programming for the development of staff.
- Know aspects of all positions in dietary and routinely participate in department activities to assess staff knowledge, performance, and department requirements.
- Oversee menu planning with appropriate staff.
- Work with administration and staff to ensure state and hospital standards are met.
Education:
- Required: Undergraduate degree in Dietetics or Nutrition
- Preferred: Master's degree in Dietetics
License/Registration/Certification:
- Required: Licensed Registered DieticianNutritionist in state of Iowa
- Required: Valid driver's license
Experience:
- Preferred: 1+ years of healthcare experience
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
- Knowledge of the Nutrition Care Process and ability to apply all steps.
- Comprehensive knowledge, application of medical nutrition therapy, human behavior and techniques for effecting behavior change.
- Comprehensive knowledge and application of nutrition support services.
- Critical thinking to integrate facts, informed opinions, active listening, and observations.
- Decision making, problem solving and collaboration.
- Excellent counseling skills and ability to relate to a multi-ethnic community and varied learning levels.
- Strong interpersonal skills to establish productive working relationships with multidisciplinary teams and support services.
- Ability to communicate effectively in both written and verbal form to patients, public, medical staff, and physicians.
- Ability to organize tasks and function independently.
- Ability to counsel and motivate others, as individuals and as a group.
- General knowledge of nutrient analysis, word processing, spreadsheet, and professional presentation software.
Competitive wage and benefits offered include: paid time off, health, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, short term and long term disability, retirement program, tuition assistance, funeral leave, jury duty, flex spending, EAP, health and wellness program.