Clarification from the agency

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This employee serves as the Dietitian (Clinical) within the Clinical Section of Nutrition & Food Service. This individual will perform increasingly complex tasks as they acquire skills in clinical nutrition to apply evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines. Clinical Dietitians coordinate nutritional care of Veterans with other health care providers, the Veteran's caregiver and the community.

• Conducts a comprehensive nutrition assessment utilizing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) for assigned patients.
• Develops and implements an individualized plan for Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) in accordance with the patient's medical program goals and objectives.
• Performs a Nutrition Focused Physical Exam (NFPE) during assessments to determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition.
• Calculates nutrient requirements (calories, protein, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, electrolytes, and fluids) and necessary diet restrictions or food/drug interactions.
• Documents MNT in the medical record using the Assessment, Diagnosis, Intervention, Monitoring, Evaluation (ADIME format).
• Functions independently and accurately when record-keeping.
• Maintains accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and completes patient encounters using approved systems.
• Actively participates in formal and informal interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Assesses educational needs and provides nutrition education/counseling for individuals and groups.
• Assists in achieving compliance with The Joint Commission, or other accrediting agency standards to continuously improve the safety and quality of care.
• Serves as the nutrition expert for medical staff on the nutritional management of patients.
• Maintains productivity standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the service and patients to include providing support and coverage for vacancies and leave.

Work Schedule: Intermittent - determined on the needs of the agency
Telework: Ad Hoc - as determined by the agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #s: 99531S / 99530S / 99529S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct
• the needs and interests of the agency
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

Registration: All applicants must hold the RDN credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Note: Applicants who hold the RDN credential have met the education requirement (e.g. bachelor's degree or higher) of CDR, as such this occupation is considered professional and scientific with a positive education requirement and the procedures in Part I, Chapter 4 of this Handbook will be followed when applying Veteran's preference.

Exception for Dietitians who do not possess the RDN credential.
Non-credentialed Dietitians who meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below, but do not possess the RDN credential, may be given a temporary full-time appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2). Non-credentialed Dietitians must have fulfilled each of the following:

• Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college, university or foreign equivalent.
• Completed an ACEND® accredited experiential or supervised practice program and provide a verification statement from the program director that conveys eligibility to take the CDR registration exam as a prospective RDN. A list of ACEND® accredited programs is located on the ACEND® website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory.

Foreign Education
To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND® and meet ACEND®'s International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam.

• Non-credentialed Dietitians may only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 grade level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential.
• Non-credentialed Dietitians must provide care under the supervision of a RDN at or above the full performance level.
• Temporary appointments of non-credentialed Dietitian will not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment.
• Failure to Obtain Registration. In all cases, Dietitians must actively pursue meeting registration requirements starting from their appointment date. At the time of appointment, servicing Human Resources (HR) staff in collaboration with the supervisor, will provide non-registered Dietitians the written requirement to obtain registration, the date by which they must acquire it and the consequences for not doing so by the deadline. Failure to obtain registration within one year from the date of appointment will result in removal from the Dietitian, GS-0630 occupation and may result in termination of employment.

Loss of Credential
In collaboration with HR Office staff, management officials must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required registration/certification of duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation and/or assignment, which may also result in separation from employment.

Grandfathering Provision
Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification, where applicable. Employees appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, either on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. The following provisions apply to employees who do not meet all the qualification requirements:

• Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in a supervisory or managerial position.
• Employees must meet the assignment-specific certification/education requirements to be placed in Dietitian (Advanced Level Practice) or Dietitian (Dietetic Internship Director) assignments.
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or registration/certification that meet all the qualification standard's basic or assignment-specific requirements must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation/assignment. (4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re- entry in the occupation.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
English Language Proficiency: Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

GRADE DETERMINATIONS
All individuals assigned to this occupation must meet all the basic qualification requirements and all the requirements defined in the specific assignment.

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-07
Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements.

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-09
Experience: At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
OR
Education: Master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements
• Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care
• Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation)
• Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes
• Ability to develop patient-centered goals
• Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies
• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-11
Experience: At least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation)
• Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes
• Skill in developing patient-centered goals
• Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies
• Skill in collaborating with stakeholders
• Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities

Preferred Experience: RD/RDN certification

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-07 to GS-11 .

Physical Requirements: The work does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. Normal safety precautions and practices are required for working in a healthcare environment. For additional guidance, please refer to VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.