|
Duties &
Responsibilities:
|
Job Summary
The Outpatient Dietitian performs a variety of specialized duties related to the nutrition counseling of patients / families or caregivers for Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) diet education. This may include but is not limited to diabetes education, weight management, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, adults or infants with failure to thrive, cancer requiring home enteral feedings, gastrointestinal disorders, or sport nutrition. The Outpatient Dietitian may also be required to assess / evaluate outpatients transitioning from either a home enteral feeding or home parenteral nutrition to an oral diet. This position may also assist with Bariatric Surgery patient counseling, including Bariatric Surgery Group Classes.
Duties
The Outpatient Dietitian’s duties include but are not limited to the following:
- Document vitals in the patient’s Electronic Health Record as provided by the Medical Assistant.
- Directs and/or educates the Medical Clinic’s Medical Assistant(s) and Patient Access Clerks on job duties and procedures as related to the Outpatient Dietitian. Maintains a written procedure on this as a training tool and reference for the Medical Assistant(s) and Patient Access Clerks.
- Utilizes Telehealth for patients with the provided equipment if requested by the patient.
- Interviews patients / families and obtains diet history, exercise habits, reviews emotional/social issues as part of the diet counseling process, documenting any pertinent information obtained in the Electronic Health Record.
- Facilitates the use of a telephone interpreter (or sign language interpreter) for patients in need of language assistance.
- Makes appropriate referrals to other services, such as Social Services or various Food Assistance Programs as indicated.
- Counsels patients / families or caregivers on medical nutrition / diet therapy principles and restrictions.
- Utilizes available medical nutrition therapy educational materials or obtains them from the Oroville Hospital Electronic Library or from reputable sources from the internet.
- Contacts the patient’s primary care provider to recommend medical nutrition therapy changes.
- Requests pertinent nutrition related labs from the patient’s provider as deemed necessary.
- Home nutrition support patients:
- Evaluates nutrient requirements of the current tube feeding regimen, providing recommendations for the type of formula, administration, water flushes and possible need for additional vitamin or mineral supplements, to the patient’s primary care provider via telephone and also documents this in the Electronic Health Record
- Assesses patients referred for initiation of enteral nutrition, providing appropriate MNT recommendations and follow up.
- Makes a referral to a Home Infusion Company for home delivery of enteral feeding products and supplies.
- Documents the nutrition counseling session in the Electronic Health Record on the appropriate Outpatient Dietitian templates.
- Schedules or reschedules outpatient nutrition counseling appointments as needed.
- Develops or researches appropriate internet sites or evidence-based nutrition education materials as needed and time permits.
- Revises the Outpatient Dietitian Electronic Health Record templates as needed and time permits.
- Participates in departmental and hospital wide mandatory in-services and meets the mandatory annual in-service requirements in utilities management, infection control, safety and blood-borne pathogens.
- Participates in community health care events as requested.
- Other duties as assigned.
Reports to / Evaluated by:
- The outpatient dietitian reports to the Chief Clinical Dietitian and / or the Director of Nutrition Services.
|