Dietitian (Clinical)

About the role

Incumbent in this assignment serves as a Full Time Dietitian (Clinical) within the Clinical Section of Nutrition and Food Service for the Cleveland VA Medical Center. They perform increasingly complex tasks as they continue to develop skills in clinical nutrition to apply evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines, interpret research, apply whole health principles, and develop patient-centered goals.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Registered Dietitian (RD): Must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing branch of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association).

Exception for GS-07 and GS-09 Only

Dietitians who do not possess the RDN/RD credential but otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below may be given a full-time temporary appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2). They may only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential. Non-credentialed Dietitians must have:

• Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university or foreign equivalent. Foreign degrees must be evaluated by ACEND and meet ACEND's International Dietitian Education standards designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam.
• Completed an ACEND accredited experiential or supervised practice program and provide a verification statement from the program director that conveys eligibility to take the CDR registration exam as a prospective RDN. A list of ACEND accredited programs is located on the ACEND website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory.

Current VHA Dietitians that qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision may not be promoted to a higher grade if they do not meet the current RDN/RD requirements.

Grade Determinations

GS-07 Dietitian (Clinical) (Entry Level Developmental)

No additional requirements beyond the basic requirements.

GS-09 Dietitian (Clinical) (Developmental)

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) OR a master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college in the field of dietetics or closely related field. Experience or education must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements
• Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care
• Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation)
• Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes
• Ability to develop patient-centered goals
• Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies
• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders

GS-11 Dietitian (Clinical) (Full Performance Level)

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, must possess at least 1 year of experience as an RDN/RD equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) which demonstrates the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Skill in delivering patient care using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring, and evaluation)
• Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes
• Skill in developing patient-centered goals
• Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies
• Skill in collaborating with stakeholders
• Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. For more information on this qualification standard, visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements

The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is required for employees in Home Based Primary Care due to use of Government Vehicles to perform duties of the position.

Responsibilities

• Conducts comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP), including nutrition focused physical examinations, to establish a nutrition diagnosis and determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition
• Develops and implements Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address the nutrition diagnosis, evaluates and monitors the effectiveness and outcomes of MNT interventions
• Modifies the plan as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes
• Calculates nutrient requirements and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions, tailoring the diet prescription to each individual patient
• Documents MNT in the medical record using the Assessment, Diagnosis, Intervention, Monitoring, Evaluation (ADIME) format
• Functions independently and accurately when record keeping
• Identifies patients in need of nutritional support and recommends the appropriate mode of support and communicates appropriately with the health care team
• Actively participates in formal and informal interdisciplinary team meetings
• Assesses educational needs and provides nutrition education/counseling for individuals and groups that is tailored to the Veteran(s)
• Utilizes virtual care technology to improve access to care
• Maintains productivity standards
• Maintains accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and completes patient encounters using approved systems
• Ensures continuous improvement of safe and quality care of Veterans
• Leads activities in the implementation of new initiatives
• Uses data in the development of measures, data evaluation, and initiation of corrective actions
• Complies with The Joint Commission requirements and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care
• Collaborates with the Food Operations Section and department leadership to enhance the Veterans' dining experience, support patient satisfaction, and serve as a liaison between clinical units and the Food Operations Section
• May perform other related duties as assigned which are appropriate for this grade and assignment

Schedule

Full-Time (40 hours per week). Telework: Ad-Hoc. This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD99531S, PD99530S, and PD99529S. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.