Nutritional Specialist

Responsibilities

To implement, coordinate and evaluate the medical nutrition therapy for the residents, provide resident and family education, provide nutritional assessment and consultation to assist in planning, organizing and directing the food and nutritional services of the facility. Completes and updates dietary assessments as part of the comprehensive resident assessment process. Assessments identify residents' current needs for dietary services and those residents at nutritional risk. Interviews residents, interested family members, legal representatives and significant others to obtain and update information needed to develop individualized dietary plans of care, to accommodate individual needs and preferences and to protect and promote residents' rights. Works cooperatively with members of the interdisciplinary team to develop, implement and evaluate plans of care. Attends care conferences. Communicates resident concerns and responses to interventions to interdisciplinary team members and direct care staff. Records progress notes in the clinical record including subjective findings, objective symptoms, observations of behavior, interventions provided to resident and resident's responses to dietary interventions. Audits progress notes of Director of Food Service for completion and accuracy. Communicates with Nursing Home Administrator routinely to discuss resident care, personnel and budget issues. Actively participates in long term care survey process by instructing staff in matters of conduct and disclosure, maintaining a presence at all times surveyors are on-site and directing the timely collection of information required by the survey team. Demonstrates concern for identified problems and undertakes corrective action while survey is in progress if appropriate. Gathers and presents supplemental documentation to avoid potential deficiencies. Collaborates with Nursing Home Administrator to develop responses to survey report as needed.

Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree with major in relevant field.
• Current active registration by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association.
• One year professional food service experience in an institutional health care setting which includes identification of dietary needs, planning and implementation of dietary programs.