Clinical Dietitian Complex Care - Nationwide Children's Hospital

The Clinical Registered & Licensed Dietitian, (RD, LD), is responsible for initiating and providing nutritional care to pediatric, adolescent, and select adult patients in assigned service lines; participating in the development, implementation and evaluation of department goals; and ensuring compliance with Joint Commission and external regulatory bodies. The Clinical RD, LD provides health education to the medical team, patients and caregivers, and the community as requested. The position may also participate in clinical research, quality improvement initiatives and hospital committees.The RD, LD demonstrates competence (age/developmental/medical/cultural) in skills defined in duties and responsibilities.

Full time Outpatient Clinical Dietitian in the service line of Complex Health Care. Position is Monday through Friday and includes a holiday and weekend on-call rotation.  

The Complex Health Care Program (CHC) follows children with medical complexity. This includes children who:

• Have neurologic problems that result in loss of function and physical disability and
• Have serious chronic problems involving at least three organ systems and
• Are medically fragile as defined by using a lot of health care resources - they have frequent unplanned hospital admissions or have a high number of Emergency Room or specialty care visits
• Often they depend on technology such as feeding tubes and tracheostomies

Patients and their families are the most important drivers of the care team, which includes their primary care provider and often an extensive network of specialists. Our program helps patients and their families be informed of medical services, avoid duplication and make care choices in keeping with the child’s and family’s goals.  Dietitians are an integral part of this healthcare team!

The moment you walk through our doors, you feel it. When you meet our patient families, you believe it. And when you talk with anyone who works here, you want to be part of it. Welcome to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Where Passion Meets Purpose.

Here, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are integrated into our core values and practices. We are passionate about building, sustaining and evolving an inclusive and equitable environment. We are seeking individuals who live these values and want to share their experiences and efforts in support of our collective mission.

We’re 16,000 strong. And it takes every one of us to improve the lives of the kids we care for, and the kids around the world we’ll never meet. Kids who live healthier, fuller lives because of the knowledge we share. We know it takes a Collaborative Culture to deliver on our promise to provide the very best, innovative care and to foster new discoveries, made possible by the most groundbreaking research. Anywhere.

Ask anyone with a Nationwide Children’s badge what they do for a living. They’ll tell you it’s More Than a Job. It’s a calling. It’s a chance to use and grow your talent to make an impact that truly matters. Because here, we exist simply to help children everywhere.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital. A Place to Be Proud.

• Initiates and provides complete nutritional care of inpatients and/or outpatients on assigned service lines. Develops, updates and/or implements standards of patient care applicable to the assigned patient population. Ensures high-quality standards consistent with current evidence-based practice (EBP) nutrition research.
• Completes nutrition screening and assessments according to established protocols to determine each patient's specific nutrient needs. Develops and implements appropriate nutrition care plan and documents nutrition-related information in the patient's electronic medical record (EMR), chart or written report (in the case of a private physician referral) as appropriate.
• Interprets appropriateness (age/developmental/medical/cultural) of diet orders for modified diets, enteral feedings, and infant formulas based on recommendations made in the current diet manuals approved by the Hospital's medical executive director.
• Oversees the assignment of nutrition intervention, and/or other department activities, to Dietetic Technician(s), Registered (DTR) based on the job description and accepted nutrition standards and guidelines.
• For in-patient units, reviews (or delegates review of) modified menus for appropriate age/developmental/medical/cultural food selection by patients based on the individual nutrition care plan.
• Monitors and calculates (or delegates calculation of) the nutrient intake of patients as requested by the physician or RD, LD and documents summary in the EMR or appropriate report (in the case of a private physician referral). Uses clinical expertise to make recommendations for any modification or supplementation.
• Provides (or oversees delegation) of patient education regarding specific modified diets and/or normal nutrition as prescribed by the physician and adapts information for home use. Using clinical expertise, assesses/designs/updates/ patient education materials. Documents patient/caregiver comprehension in the EMR or in the case or private patients, sends a report to the referring physician.
• Serves as a consultant in response to nutrition-related inquiries from patients/caregivers, medical staff and the Education Foundation.
• Attends and participates in pertinent patient care conferences and physician/team rounds on assigned services to improve communication and facilitate the provision of high quality patient care. Collaborates with the medical team to provide high quality patient care.
• Monitors (or delegates the monitoring of) patients receiving enteral nutrition therapy. Evaluates the patient's response to therapy through anthropometric and laboratory indices. Documents recommendations for therapy changes in the EMR and patient cardex (if appropriate).
• Participates in the development, implementation and evaluation of departmental goals to enhance patient care.
• Serves as a preceptor to assigned dietetic students. Assigns patient care-related work to students, monitors students' performance, and provides regular written and verbal feedback. Monitors students' calculations and ensure appropriate involvement in patient care. Communicates and collaborates with the students' instructors as needed.
• Shares informative education to Clinical Nutrition, Lactation, Nutrition Services, Nutrition Support Services, medical, nursing and allied medical staff members on nutrition-related topics. Maintains current (EBP) knowledge.
• Participates in clinical research, quality improvement initiatives and hospital committees as needed.
• Participates in educational activities to develop/enhance/maintain licensure and registration requirements. Focuses on activities to enhance age/developmental/medical/cultural knowledge and skills.
• Demonstrates RD, LD competencies on an annual basis and completes hospital mandatory education on an annual basis.
• Collaborates with Nutrition Services staff to coordinate patient food preference, data collection, menu modification, and formula/enteral feeding preparation, use and appropriateness.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Bachelor's degree in nutrition, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) registration, and licensure to practice as a dietitian from the Ohio Board of Dietetics; OR licensed permit with completion and passing of the RD exam within 3 months of employment.
• Experience as a clinical registered & licensed dietitian preferred; clinical pediatric experience desirable.
• Analytical and organizational skills required to evaluated patients? nutrition needs, with age/developmental medical/cultural appropriateness in mind, and to formulate and implement care plans.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills required to educate patients, families/caregivers, hospital staff and the public; and to write reports and correspondence and document patient care activities.
• Effective interpersonal skills required in interactions with patients and families/caregivers, NCH medical, nursing and allied medical staff, other clinical registered & licensed dietitians, occupational therapists and speech therapists, other hospital personnel, other agencies and institutions, and the public.

Minimum Physical Requirements

Note frequency as Constantly (67-100%), Frequently (34-66%) and Occasionally (0-33%) for each requirement. Also note any lifting requirements with pound limit.

Sitting - frequently

Talking on phone/in person - frequently

Typing on a keyboard - frequently

Standing/walking - frequently

The above list of duties is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this classification. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties performed by the individual so classified, nor is it intended to limit or modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his/her supervision. EOE MF/Vet/Disability