Registered Dietitian

Purpose and Scope

Provides nutritional services for the facility's in-center and home patients to maximize nutritional status and improve clinical outcomes. Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, supporting the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAI) activities.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Assesses patient's knowledge of diet and kidney disease and provides education appropriate to learning needs.
• Provides patient-specific detailed education to patient/family/caregiver regarding nutritional status, adequacy measures and results, fluid status, and nutrition-related lab parameters.
• Completes nutritional assessment and participates in interdisciplinary comprehensive assessments.
• Participates with the interdisciplinary team in developing a written, individualized comprehensive plan of care in accordance with Federal and state licensure guidelines.
• Calculates diet prescription according to standard of practice.
• Completes progress notes on all chronic dialysis patients and maintains complete and accurate documentation in the medical record.
• Provides ongoing nutrition assessment and outcome-oriented nutrition counseling.
• Identifies malnourished patients and those at risk for malnutrition and works collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team on interventions.
• Reviews each patient's albumin level and body weight at least monthly.
• Monitors adherence and response to nutrition therapy, adjusts therapy as needed, and documents barriers to goal achievement.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team on Urea Kinetic Modeling recommendations to achieve the physician's prescription of Kt/V.
• Collaborates on management and recommendations for mineral metabolism and renal bone disease, anemia and iron status, nutritional status, psychosocial status, vascular access, modality, rehabilitation status and sodium/volume control.
• Adheres to FMCNA algorithm and medical record policies.
• Reports on nutrition QAI results and participates in the interdisciplinary QAI program.
• Collaborates and coordinates with team members in provision of Pre-ESRD education as appropriate.
• Works with Case Manager to coordinate plan of care for patient education and identifies candidates to refer to physician for nutritional supplements.
• Reviews nutrition-related lab results, counsels patient and/or caregiver, and formulates appropriate action.
• Recommends treatment changes to the interdisciplinary team as appropriate.
• Communicates with physician and/or facility staff regarding lab results as appropriate.
• Communicates lab results and recommended treatment changes to providers of patient care in nursing facilities.
• Participates in pertinent staff meetings, care plan meetings, and others as applicable.
• Consults with FMS Corporate Dietitian regarding nutrition concerns as needed.
• Maintains and improves knowledge and skills for a competent and innovative practice.
• Maintains dietetic registration and continuing education hours as specified by the American Dietetic Association and state licensure regulations.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary team, ensuring all work areas are safe and clean.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Work environment is characteristic of a health care facility with air temperature control and moderate noise levels.
• May be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases/materials.
• Day-to-day work includes desk and personal computer work and interaction with patients, facility staff and physicians.
• Position requires travel between assigned facilities and various locations within the community.
• Travel to regional, Business Unit and Corporate meetings may be required.

Supervision

None.