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This position will be involved in the professional practice of dietetics in accordance with the guidance set forth in NFS directives, policies and procedures, and VA regulations governing the practice of dietetics.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Conducts a comprehensive nutrition assessment utilizing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) for assigned patients.
2. Develops and implements an individualized plan for Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) in accordance with the patient's medical program goals and objectives.
3. Performs a Nutrition Focused Physical Exam (NFPE) during assessments to determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition.
4. Calculates nutrient requirements (calories, protein, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, electrolytes and fluids) and necessary diet restrictions or food/drug interactions.
5. Evaluates patterns and relationships among data obtained and possible root causes for nutrition problems.
6. Tailors diet prescription to each individual patient according to physical and metabolic needs. With an understanding of the patient's health condition, designs the nutritional treatment plan with consideration for psychosocial, behavioral, physical activity, ethnic and cultural factors to obtain desirable outcomes and promote long term adherence to a medical nutrition care plan.
7. Prioritizes the importance of nutrition problems for optimal health, recovery from illness, management of chronic disease or disease prevention.
8. Utilizes evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines and Whole Health Principles to develop shared goals with the patient and formulates a plan of care that is focused on the etiology of the nutrition problem.
9. Actively supports veteran centric food service operations with a food forward approach through knowledge of computer software programs related to food service systems and through interfacing with the food service section to ensure patient satisfaction with meals, assisting in implementation of new initiatives, and acting as a liaison between clinical units/wards and the food service section.
10. Works cooperatively with foodservice staff to assure conformance to diet prescriptions.
11. Identifies patients in need of nutritional support and recommends the appropriate mode of support, including suitable route, formula, and rate of administration. Provides initial and on-going nutritional assessment of patients receiving enteral (EN) and/or Parenteral nutrition (PN). Orders EN/PN if Scope of Practice allows.
12. Orders labs, diets, and consults per Scope of Practice / Clinical privileges. Evaluates and monitors the effectiveness and outcome of MNT interventions. Evaluates the patient's response to care based on identified, measurable outcomes and reviews the plan, as appropriate.
13. Documents nutrition care plan in the patient's medical record, including nutrition assessment data, MNT initiated and recommendations, results of nutrition counseling, patient consents and discharge planning. Measures outcomes through selecting indicators relevant to the nutrition diagnosis. Evaluates the effectiveness and measures progress toward outcomes of nutrition interventions by comparing current findings with previous goals and/or reference standards. Documentation supports an interdisciplinary approach and continuity of care.
14. Other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Dietitians must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Education and Supervised Practice:
  • Bachelor's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university or foreign equivalent and fulfilled each of the following criteria:
    • Completed a didactic program in dietetics accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), formerly known as the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetic Education (CADE).
    • Completed an ACEND accredited or approved supervised practice program. Supervised practice programs are post-baccalaureate degree programs that provide supervised practice experiences which meet the eligibility requirements and accreditation standards of ACEND, formally known as CADE. Completion of a coordinated program in dietetics fulfills the requirements of a supervised practice program. Time spent in a dietetic internship or supervised practice program does not qualify as creditable experience.
  • Individuals who have earned college and/or university degrees outside the United States and its territories also must have their transcripts evaluated by a foreign transcript evaluation service to determine if their degree is equivalent to a degree granted by a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. Validation of a foreign degree does not eliminate the need for verification of completion of didactic program, dietetic internship, or coordinated program requirements. The completion of ACEND didactic program requirements and at least a bachelor's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college/university or foreign equivalent are necessary for eligibility to enter an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program.
• Registration/Certification: All applicants must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing branch of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics formerly known as the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Advanced Level Practice Dietitians must possess a minimum of one advanced practice credential relevant to the area of practice, (e.g. Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC), Board Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition (CSR), Board Certified Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition (CSG), Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), or Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition (CSO)).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:
GS-7 Dietitian (Entry Level):
Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1.Basic knowledge of principles and practices of dietetics and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT).
2.Ability to provide nutrition care utilizing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) to patients, family members and/or caregivers considering psycho-social issues and age-appropriate, evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines.
3.Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with patients, family and/or caregiver, and other professional healthcare providers (e.g., tailoring to audience and use of medical terminology).
4.Ability to plan and organize work consisting of multiple tasks and priorities under direct supervision.
5.Basic knowledge of, and ability to use, current information technology operations, software, hardware, terminology, security requirements, and capabilities.
6.Knowledge of basic food production and service for various populations which incorporates principles of sanitation, safety, and menu planning within a healthcare environment.
7.Knowledge of educational concepts, methods, and the ability to execute existing education and training activities for Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) employees.
GS-9 Dietitian (Developmental Level)
Experience or Education: At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level or education equivalent to 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education, or master's degree from an accredited university or college in the field of dietetics or closely related field.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1.Ability to plan and organize work of considerable difficulty and responsibility, under general supervision.
2.Knowledge of various food preparation and delivery systems within a healthcare environment.
3.Knowledge of educational concepts, methods, training materials, and resources and the ability to develop and conduct education and training programs for NFS employees.
4.Ability to participate in research studies and conduct performance improvement studies and document findings to evaluate staff, food, supplies, equipment, and service, in order to improve the efficiency of the operation.
5.Knowledge of the principles and practices of clinical dietetics including NCP and MNT in order to plan, develop, and coordinate nutrition interventions, including enteral and parenteral nutrition, interdisciplinary care plans, and nutrition education activities that promote Veteran health, wellness and lifestyle management.
GS-11 Dietitian (Full Performance Level)
Experience or Education: At least 1 year of experience as a registered dietitian equivalent to the next lower grade level, or education equivalent to 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education, or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited university or college in the field of dietetics or closely related field.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
a.Knowledge of best practices in the dietetics profession and in scientific literature, including knowledge of research methods, study design, data collection, interpretation of findings, and translation of results into nutrition practice.
b.Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory, and agency authorities.
c.Ability to develop and maintain a system of internal reviews and direct quality control and performance improvement studies.
d.Knowledge of computer software programs relative to food service systems.
2.In addition to the KSAs identified in subparagraph 1 above, candidates for clinical nutrition positions must demonstrate the following KSAs:
a.Knowledge of the principles and practices of nutrition care and the treatment of complex cases in clinical settings in order to develop, implement and coordinate best practices in the dietetics profession (e.g. assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation).
b.Knowledge of best practices in areas of clinical nutrition and the ability to apply nutrition interventions to patients with multiple co-morbidities.
c.Ability to act as a consultant for health care providers including registered dietetic technicians, dietetic interns, nurses, physicians, medical students, and allied health professionals.

References: VA Handbook 5005/80 Part II Appendix G20. Dietitian Qualification Standard GS-630

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-7 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity.

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, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

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.