WIC Nutritionist

Position Overview

Required in depth knowledge of nutrition principles and its applications to the Women Infants and Children (WTC). Must be responsive to the identified needs and interests of participants especially those whose nutrition or health concerns require an advanced level of nutrition expertise (High Risk) according to the core competencies associated with Participant Centered nutrition Assessment (PC A).

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• All duties of the Nutrition Assistant staff and program support.
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of WIC the program and successfully communicate program purpose.
• Demonstrate understanding of nutrition issues for pregnancy, breastfeeding, the postpartum period, infancy, and early childhood and their impact on the life course.
• Develop and implement individual care plans (ICPs), high risk care plans and oversee high risk care of all participants.
• Provide oversight and guidance to Nutrition Assistant staff.
• Coordinate nutrition education, including breastfeeding promotion and support that is responsive to the identified needs/interests of each high-risk participant.
• QN staff member is also assigned role as DBE (Designated Breastfeeding Expert) in NYWTC based on agency need.
• Refer high-risk participants to other health-related and social services, as necessary.
• Track high-risk participants’ progress in improving their health and document outcomes.
• Ensure the efficient flow of the assessment and education processes.
• Provide leadership in planning, conducting, and evaluating Participant Centered nutrition Education services.
• Provide leadership and assist in orienting, training, and mentoring new local agency staff.
• Provide leadership in developing, conducting, and evaluating nutrition training for local agency staff nutrition education topics.
• Implement optional and required individual care plans for participants, especially participants whose nutrition or health concerns require an advanced level of nutrition expertise (high risk).
• Provide and document Participant Centered nutrition Assessment (PCNA) core competencies during counseling which are as follows:
  • Utilize participant centered approach including open-ended questions, body language, affirmations, and reflective listening.
  • Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and appreciation for how sociocultural issues (e.g. Race)

Qualifications

Education & Training: Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RD/RD). Bachelors, Masters, or PhD in nutrition from accredited college or university.

Experience: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Interpersonal & Communication Skills: Ability to interact with Clients and staff through active listening. Proper business language and tone of voice to obtain information and/or completing tasks.

Reasoning & Problem-Solving Abilities: Ability to apply common sense to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

Language & Literacy Skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of an organization.

Mathematical & Analytical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Technical & Systems: Proficient in basic healthcare software, including EHR and scheduling systems. Comfortable with Microsoft Office and learning new technologies. Familiarity with HIPAA-compliant practices preferred.

Physical & Environmental Requirements: The physical demands described here are representatives of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly sits. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel reach with hands and arms; to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and or/move up to 10 pounds.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Patient Service Representative (PSR), Patient Service Investigator (PSI), Oversight of all practice staff.