Position Summary

1. Plan therapeutic diets and implement the preparation and service of meals for hospital patients. Provide high-quality, cost-effective medical nutrition therapy to patients of all ages through an interdisciplinary healthcare team approach.

2. Develop departmental policies and procedures that support the provision of nutritional care.

3. Serve as a clinical nutrition resource for patients, physicians, and staff.

4. Participate in educational activities and committees as needed.

5. Maintain effective communication with medical, nursing, and administrative personnel concerning patients’ nutritional care.

6. Direct, coordinate, and supervise the activities of kitchen supervisors, diet technicians, diet office staff, and food service workers.

7. Implement clinical activities, including nutrition assessments and reassessments, screening, nutrition care plans, and patient education and counseling, according to departmental policies and procedures.

8. Coordinate quality improvement activities in patient care. Monitor and evaluate clinical activities and take appropriate action to improve care and maintain program quality.

9. Approve the diet manual, all menus, and menu changes.

10. Develop and implement the department’s orientation and continuing education program.

11. Participate in committee activities concerning nutritional care.

12. Enforce compliance with standards set by regulatory agencies, including AHCA, AOA, and JCAHO.

13. Assume responsibility for departmental operations in the absence of the Director of Nutritional Services.

Essential Responsibilities

1. Consult with other healthcare personnel to determine patients’ nutritional needs and dietary restrictions.

   • Review and revise the diet manual, evaluating diets for appropriateness.

   • Ensure the diet manual is approved annually.

   • Update diet information as needed to maintain compliance.

2. Formulate therapeutic diet menus based on patients’ medical and physical conditions and integrate them with basic institutional menus.

   • Ensure patient menus follow the dietary guidelines established in the approved diet manual.

   • Review and revise patient menus annually for variety, layout, food preparation, presentation, and cost.

   • Maintain nutritional analyses for all diets to reflect the percentage of recommended dietary allowances.

3. Stay current with the dietetics profession.

   • Maintain current registration as a Registered Dietitian (RD) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

   • Maintain current Florida licensure as a Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN).

   • Participate in professional organizations.

   • Attend educational seminars, use learning resources, and participate in professional networking.

4. Provide quality nutrition care for patients.

   • Conduct nutrition assessments and reassessments according to established policies and procedures.

   • Provide timely patient and family education.

   • Document patients’ nutritional care in their medical records according to established policies and procedures.

   • Implement, evaluate, and document appropriate medical nutrition therapy.

   • Monitor patients’ food acceptance, intake, and tolerance through meal rounds.

5. Monitor patient meal tray service for compliance with diet prescriptions, guidelines, and quality standards.

   • Perform tray evaluations regularly.

   • Implement portion control guidelines.

   • Implement dietary restrictions for food preparation.

   • Ensure appropriate food holding temperatures on the tray line.

6. Maintain effective communication with medical staff to support quality nutrition care and services.

   • Communicate effectively with nursing staff through memos and committees regarding patients’ nutritional status and services.

   • Participate in meetings as needed.

   • Promote open communication with other departments through positive relationships and interactions.

7. Coordinate prompt and efficient patient meal service.

   • Ensure diet orders are processed appropriately and promptly.

   • Monitor patient meal service for timeliness and accuracy.

   • Ensure problems involving food preparation, patient preferences and complaints, and unclear diet orders are addressed promptly and efficiently.

   • Enforce dietary restrictions established in the approved diet manual.

   • Monitor late tray orders and delivery.

8. Oversee all patient meal service operations.

   • Ensure patient tray line activities meet high standards of sanitation and food safety.

   • Implement departmental policies and procedures for tray line services.

   • Ensure patient meals are prepared and served in a wholesome, palatable, and attractive manner.

   • Implement corrective actions for problems related to tray line operations or meal service delivery.

   • Ensure procedures involving food and equipment on the patient tray line follow established policies and procedures.

9. Monitor patient care areas to ensure accurate and timely delivery of floor stock supplies, sanitation of pantry equipment, and food safety.

   • Ensure staff keep nursing unit pantries clean, including refrigerators, microwaves, and open tray carts.

   • Ensure accurate and timely delivery of floor stock requests for patient care areas.

10. Review and develop nutrition education materials for patients, families, and staff.

11. Review and develop departmental educational materials annually in collaboration with clinical staff.

12. Review and update Enteral Nutrition Formulary cards as needed.

13. Act as a resource and liaison among Administration, Nursing, Medical Staff, patients, and family members.

14. Serve on hospital committees and task forces as needed.

15. Participate in hospital-sponsored functions and events as requested.

16. Manage human resources efficiently.

17. Follow hospital policies and procedures regarding employee recruitment, retention, transfers, and termination.

18. Ensure adequate staffing for clinical coverage, the diet office, the tray line, and hostesses.

19. Follow hospital policies and procedures regarding employee orientation, evaluations, and disciplinary actions.

20. Monitor departmental quality management activities and participate in reporting results and follow-up actions. Assist the Nutritional Services Director in developing, implementing, and reporting on the department’s Performance Improvement Program.

Skills and Abilities

• Give and carry out oral and written instructions.

• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of kitchen equipment.

• Relate cooperatively and constructively with others.

• Act as a consultant and negotiator.

• Coordinate, organize, and prioritize the sequence of operations or processes.

• Analyze situations and develop alternatives.

• Apply logical thinking to define problems, analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

• Provide clear direction to others.

• Apply in-depth knowledge of job-specific theory and practice.

• Speak clearly and listen carefully.

• Use personal judgment and specialized knowledge to provide information.

• Communicate effectively with a variety of people.

• Use specialized recordkeeping procedures.

• Recognize errors in recorded information.

• Recommend positive changes to the Nutritional Services Director.

• Recognize and perform necessary duties, even when not directly assigned.

• Use time efficiently and effectively.

• Maintain a professional appearance.

• Understand verbal and written instructions in English.

Education and Staff Development

• Develop and review nutrition-related educational materials as needed.

• Attend and participate in educational activities and develop educational materials as needed.

Age-Specific Care

Provide age-specific care to the applicable patient population as documented.

Physical Demands

Sedentary work involving occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and frequent exertion of negligible force to lift, carry, pull, push, or otherwise move objects. The position involves sitting most of the time, with brief periods of walking or standing.

Environmental Conditions

Approximately 98% of work time is spent in an air-conditioned environment. Exposure to heat up to 140 degrees, temperatures below zero, fumes, and high noise levels from food processing equipment may occur.

Work takes place in office, kitchen, and patient care environments throughout the day. Potential hazards include fire, slippery floors, mechanical and electrical food service equipment, and institutional-grade sanitation equipment and chemicals.

Personal Protective Equipment

This position involves minimal exposure to infectious waste, requiring the use of masks, gloves, and gowns. Protective clothing includes a lab coat. The Dietitian must follow protective clothing guidelines when entering patient rooms with specific restrictions.

Reasoning Development

Apply principles of logical or rational thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Interpret a wide variety of instructions and work with abstract and concrete variables.

Mathematical Development

Apply fractions, percentages, ratios, proportions, and measurement calculations.

Language Development

Reading: Read and understand instructions, scientific and industry-related journals, abstracts, and financial reports.

Writing: Write reports using proper format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

Speaking: Demonstrate knowledge of the theory, principles, and methods of effective and persuasive speaking, including voice and diction, phonetics, discussion, and debate.

Relationships to Data, People, and Things

Data: Determine the time, place, and sequence of operations or actions based on data analysis. Carry out those determinations and report on events.

People — Instructing: Teach or train others through explanation, demonstration, and supervised practice, or make recommendations based on technical disciplines.

People — Supervising: Determine the time, place, and sequence of operations or actions based on data analysis. Carry out those determinations and report on events.

Things — Handling: Use body members, hand tools, and special devices to work with, move, or carry objects and materials. This involves little or no latitude for judgment regarding standards or the selection of tools, objects, or materials.

Qualifications

Licensure: Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN) per Florida Board of Dietetics and Nutrition.

Registration: Registered Dietitian (RD) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Foods and Nutrition or Dietetics from an accredited college or university.

• Master’s degree in Nutrition or a related field.

Experience and Knowledge:

• Three years of general clinical experience and one year of food service or clinical nutrition management experience.

• Documented experience in dietetics.

• Knowledge of food and nutrition.

• Familiarity with medical terminology related to nutrition.