Clinical Dietitian I

Where compassion meets innovation and technology and our employees are family.

General Purpose of Job:

The Clinical Nutrition Department serves to deliver coordinated, safe, and family-centered nutrition care according to patient’s individual needs and goals. The scope of services includes preparing quality meals, specialized formula mixtures and providing clinical nutrition support to meet the nutritional needs of the patient population being served. An interdisciplinary team approach is used to provide family-centered nutrition care.

The Level 1 Clinical Dietitian completes nutrition assessments; develops nutrition care plans and provides nutrition education to pediatric patients and their families at Driscoll Children’s Hospital through the following duties and responsibilities. This position operates within the framework of Driscoll Health System mission, vision and values.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; employees will perform other reasonably-related business duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor and/or hospital administration as required.

• Maintains utmost level of confidentiality at all times.
• Adheres to hospital policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates business practices and personal actions that are ethical and adhere to corporate compliance and integrity guidelines.
• Complies with regulatory standards, including federal, state, local health agency, and accrediting agencies, HIPAA regulations, and patient rights policies.
• Position may require travel (by automobile or airplane) to Driscoll facilities in various location in the South Texas region such as Corpus Christi, Edinburg, Harlingen, Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville, and Victoria. Must have reliable transportation.
• Works with medical staff and nursing staff to promote optimal patient care; regularly attends daily rounds, weekly patient care meetings as applicable to assigned patient care area(s).
• Provides nutrition support to pediatric patients in both ambulatory and inpatient settings as needed to ensure quality patient care; to support coverage needs for the dietitian team in their absence or due to census fluctuation.
• Processes charges in electronic medical record system for medical nutrition therapy (MNT) services provided, as appropriate.
• Attends and participates in departmental meetings, staff development, and professional programs, as appropriate or assigned.
• Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor and/or hospital administration as required.
• Provides medical nutrition therapy (MNT) using evidence-based practice to optimize patient care and document all pertinent clinical findings utilizing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP).
• Conducts practices based on the most recent edition of the Code of Ethics, The Scope of Practice in Nutrition and Dietetics, the Scope of Practice for RDs, Standards of Practice (SOP) in Nutrition Care, Standards of Professional Performance (SOPP) for RDNs, and the SOP and SOPP for RDNs in Pediatric Nutrition from The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy).
• Utilizes Academy standards in daily practice to consistently improve and appropriately demonstrate competency and value as a provider of safe and effective pediatric nutrition and dietetics care and service.
• Completes and/or reviews nutrition screening of inpatient admissions and/or ambulatory schedules to collect additional data that may affect the patient’s health condition or nutritional risk and communicates findings to health care and culinary staff as appropriate.
• Interviews patients to obtain information regarding food habits and preferences; communicates information to culinary staff.
• Monitors and verifies changes in diet orders, formula orders, or nutrition prescriptions and helps individuals understand their health condition while providing education and developing strategies to improve their health and well-being. Communicates changes and provides guidance as needed to culinary staff.
• Educates patients, families, members of the community, and interdisciplinary students, interns, and healthcare team members.
• Periodically inspects prepared foods to ensure adherence to specifications, serving appearance, quantity, temperature, and palatability.
• Coordinates and conducts periodic tray assessments in collaboration with the culinary staff to ensure the accuracy and quality of diet prescriptions and nutrition education.
• Maintains professional growth and development through completion of required department, facility, and Academy competencies.

• Demonstrate basic knowledge of nutrition science, good communication skills, and empathy.
• Functions at a professional level using science-based application.
• Level 1 employees are fully functional dietitians able to assess patients' nutritional needs, develop and implement nutrition programs, and provide education on healthy eating habits.

• A competent practitioner consistently provides safe and reliable services by employing appropriate knowledge, skills, behavior, and values in accordance with accepted standards of the profession; acquires additional on-the-job skills; and engages in tailored continuing education to further enhance knowledge, skills, and judgment obtained in formal education.
• RDNs with a competent level of knowledge in pediatric nutrition understand the influence of growth and development on nutrient needs, nutrition status, and health-related behaviors.
• Incumbents of positions at this level receive general supervision from Dietitians or other employees of higher grade who provide guidance on policy and procedures, assign work and review performance through conferences and reports for effectiveness and compliance with policies, procedures and established standards.
• Level 1 is distinguished from higher levels by its limited scope or breadth of assignments and the impact of their contribution to the overall organization. Level 1 employees make decisions within well-defined parameters and provide consultation resulting in the direct impact to a section of a program, unit, or identified outcome.

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in nutrition or related field granted by a college or university accredited by a U.S. Department of Education (USDE) recognized accrediting agency or foreign equivalent, and coursework through an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited Didactic (DPD), Coordinated (CP), Graduate Program (GP) or Foreign (FDE) program.
• Successful completion of Dietetic Internship Program approved by Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Has met the didactic and supervised practice requirements to write the registration examination for dietitian nutritionist, has Verification Statement. Eligible for registration.
• Pediatric experience preferred not required.
• If considered for Dialysis services minimum of one (1) year experience with valid RD and LD credentials post Dietetic Internship, required.
• ≤ 6 years’ experience in nutrition care, education, counseling, private practice, community/public health, school system, long-term care or related field with valid NDTR credential or other professional designation.
• Bilingual (Spanish): Ability to speak and write Spanish highly preferred.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations.

• Current Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Certification by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

• State licensure by the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR) must be obtained with 90 days of hire.

• Food Manager’s Certification or Food Safety Certification must be obtained with 90 days of hire.

• Basic Life Skills (BLS) Certification must be obtained with 90 days of hire.

• Must have a valid unrestricted driver’s license.

About Us

Until all children are well.

Driscoll Children’s Hospital and its specialty centers, urgent care centers, and after-hours facility serve a vast area covering 31 South Texas counties. The hospital is a 191-bed tertiary care center offering 32 medical and 13 surgical specialties. Combined with our non-profit, community-based Health Plan, Driscoll Health System is an exceptional workplace for anyone with a big heart and a drive for success.

Smiles, hugs and a soothing touch are as much a part of Driscoll’s approach to treating children as is its advanced medical treatments and technologies. The core values at Driscoll Heath System are: Compassion, Advocacy, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship. These values are exemplified through every position - from treating the most critical patients hands-on, to maintaining a clean environment, to keeping the organization running from behind the scenes.

We invite you to learn about Driscoll’s rich history and explore the laidback lifestyle South Texas has to offer.