Dietitian - Clinical

About the role

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) — a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program approval, award amount (up to $200,000), and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

The Clinical Dietitian coordinates nutritional care of Veterans with other health care providers, the Veteran, the Veteran's caregiver, and the community. The incumbent interprets research and utilizes whole health principles to develop patient-centered goals and improve outcomes. This position provides nutrition care in the outpatient setting.

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: Non-credentialed Dietitians

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.
• 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.

Foreign Education: To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S. and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND and meet ACEND's International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam. 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

Dietitian (Clinical) — GS-07

Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements.

Dietitian (Clinical) — GS-09

Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7).

OR Education: A master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate:

• 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

Dietitian (Clinical) — GS-11

Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, at least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-9).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate:

• Skill in delivering patient care using the 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

Preferred Experience

Outpatient nutrition experience is preferred, but not required.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 — Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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; 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
• Leads activities in the implementation of new initiatives
• Uses data in the development of measures, data evaluation, and initiation of corrective actions
• 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
• Maintains accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and completes patient encounters