Dietitian

Job Summary

The Dietitian assesses participants nutritional status and incorporates clinical data to plan and implement appropriate disease specific nutrition interventions as a member of the Interdisciplinary Team. Provides direction to Dietary Aide, Food Service Manager and Day Center CNA staff involved in providing food service to participants.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Monitors food service delivery and food service areas providing direction to staff involved as necessary to ensure that quality regulatory standards are consistently met.
• Coordinates with food safety manager to ensure safe meals.
• Develops, along with the Sr Director of Nursing & Home Care, and implements quality standards and policies and procedures for nutritional services.
• Provides in-service education to PACE RI employees and participants related to nutritional services.
• Documents in the EMR in accordance with CMS and PACE RI regulations.
• Conducts a comprehensive nutritional assessment on all PACE RI participants upon enrollment
• Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary team, participating in interdisciplinary team meetings and collaboration on care planning and service allocation decisions.
• Coordinates with the Dietary Aide and Day Center CNA’s to monitor meals, including intake, diet compliance, supplements, and plate accuracy.
• Recommends and monitors for the use of supplements according to PACE RI guidelines.
• Calculates data obtained from food intake records and calorie counts, supplements, and makes recommendations for changes to appropriate staff.
• Develops and implements the nutrition care plans for high risk participants including medical therapy recommendations.
• Monitor for significant weight changes and provide nutrition intervention.
• Evaluates menus for nutrition adequacy in the PACE centers.
• Evaluates emergency food supply for appropriateness and nutritional content at least yearly.
• Provides instruction to participants and caregivers regarding dietary regimens and nutritional requirements.
• May provides home visits to include family and participant teaching and menu planning.
• Participates in the development and implementation of PACE RI Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement Plan for nutrition services.
• Maintains current diet list for dietary staff and makes changes and additions when needed.
• Performs other duties/projects to support the department and participates on organizational committees.
• Maintains supplement, take home meal and dietary.
• Protects privacy and maintains confidentiality of sensitive participant, employee, participant, and agency information.
• Required to work at all PACE-RI sites as necessary as well as in the community as needed.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the importance of clear, thorough documentation as crucial to good participant care ; completes and enters accurate, thorough participant documentation in the electronic health record; enters documentation for assessments, orders, and notes within required timeframes.
• Performs other related duties as required and assigned.