Hospice Registered Dietitian

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!

Our intention is to have employees who are passionate about making their personal mission statement come to life each day at work! Be it through providing healing, eradicating loneliness, contributing to efficiencies, streamlining processes, being dependable, sparking creativity or something else, the demonstration of HOW you do your job is just as important as WHAT you do in your job.

Alongside our valued employees, we are making a difference throughout the state of Ohio in the lives of those that need healthcare or those embracing the next chapter of their lives. Sustained members of our team demonstrate accountable behavior and share our values of customer service, innovation, integrity, inclusion, financial stewardship, leadership and care.

The Hospice Registered Dietitian ensures that quality nutritional care and consultation is provided to hospice patients and family/caregivers. Terminally ill patients may experience a variety of nutritional problems that require a nutritional assessment, intervention or counseling when identified by the Plan of Care in accordance with company standards and federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations.

Essential Activities and Tasks

Care Management and Nutritional Counseling - 80%

• Assists hospice personnel in determining effective ways of managing the nutritional needs of hospice patients through consultation, in-service training and patient/family care.

• Answers family/caregiver questions or concerns about patients’ nutritional intake as it relates to the physiological changes in the dying process.

• Provides consultation to patients and family members in a variety of ways that include: consultation over the phone, mailing information and home visits.

• Completes nutritional consultation that may be based upon the following, but is not limited to:

  • Nutrition care planning ;

  • Nutrition related problems, i.e., taste changes, sore mouth, dysphasia, small stomach syndrome, nausea, weakness, enteral feeding, open non-healing wounds;

  • Patient or family/caregiver request; and/or

  • Need for further nutrition assessment by a specially trained and educated clinician.

• Identifies interventions to be included in the Plan of Care which may include, but not limited to:

  • Assessing patient nutrition status and risks;

  • Identifying factors that may cause variances in weight or size;

  • Educating patients and families/caregivers and personnel regarding special dietary supplements and nutritional requirements based upon diagnoses and preferences;

  • Providing counseling to adapt diet to the patient’s changing status; and

  • Collaborating with nursing personnel and the interdisciplinary group in applying nutritional risk assessment to determine the need for a mechanically altered diet and/or the effect of end stage disease on hydration and nutrition.

Administration and Reporting - 15%

• Ensures nutritional counseling findings and interventions and patients’ response to interventions are documented in the clinical notes and incorporated into the Plan of Care.

• Maintains current and accurate records through use of computers and/or other documentation in accordance with company standards and federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations.

• Communicates nutritional interventions and plans to the RN Case Manager and interdisciplinary team.

• Attends the interdisciplinary team meetings as needed.

Quality, Compliance, and Risk Management - 5%

• Assesses the patient and educates them and the family/caregiver during routine hospice visits, when appropriate, regarding:

  • Proper conditions of sanitation to protect food and nutrition therapies from contamination and spoilage;

  • Proper temperature of food storage utilizing appropriate thermometers and maintaining temperature records, if applicable;

  • Control of lighting, ventilation, and humidity to prevent condensation of moisture and growth of molds, if applicable;

  • Thorough cleaning and sanitizing of all work surfaces, supplies and equipment after each use;

  • Appropriate hand washing prior to and during preparation of food/nutrition solutions.

• Ensures that established quality assurance, infection control, and universal precaution practices are maintained when performing food preparation.

• Maintains the confidentiality of patient information.

All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in dietetics or nutrition from a school accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) required.

• Registered Dietitian (RD) license from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) required.

• Current unencumbered license as a Registered Dietitian (RD) with the Ohio Board of Dietetics required.

Experience

• Two years experience as a Registered Dietitian in a hospice, hospital, long-term care facility, or other related health care environment required.

• Experience with nutritional counseling and consultation.

• Experience in death and dying and care of terminally ill patients preferred.

• Knowledge of federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations governing hospice preferred.

• Proficiency with Windows, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and the internet required.

• Proficiency with electronic medical records (EMR) preferred.

Other Requirements

• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

• Must possess a valid driver's license and acceptable driving record. Must be insurable under professional liability and crime coverage policies as specified by insurance carrier underwriting standards.

Working Conditions and Special Requirements

• Sitting - Up to 8 hours/day

• Standing - Up to 6 hours/day

• Walking - Up to 6 hours/day

• Lifting, transferring, pushing or pulling patients or equipment/supplies - Up to 50 pounds

• Driving - Up to 3 hours/day

• Work weekends, evenings, and holidays - As required

• Subject to falls, burns, odors, and cuts - Work day

• Subject to patients with various disease processes - Occasional

• May be exposed to infectious waste, disease, conditions, etc. including exposure to the AIDS and Hepatitis B viruses - Work day

• Risk Category for Exposure to Bloodborne Diseases - II