JOB SUMMARY:

Registered Dietitians (RDs) at CARTI Cancer Center provide a professional specialty requiring advanced knowledge in Medical Nutrition Therapy to provide safe and effective nutrition care to patients actively receiving cancer treatment and throughout their cancer journey. They perform and align their skills as a member of the interdisciplinary team responsible for design, coordination and implementation of optimal nutritional care and educate patients in accordance with established standards of care. This involves the assessment and individualized care for a diverse patient population, including patients requiring enteral, parenteral, or therapeutic diets that are based on specific patient needs. Registered Dietitians must be highly competent and demonstrate professional skills and ability to make clinical judgement in an efficient and effective manner with minimal guidance and supervision. This position requires a high level of patient centricity, teamwork, flexibility, and compassion.

SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES:

• Assessing the nutritional needs of cancer patients; evaluates the patient's medical history, lab results, and treatment plan to determine their individual nutritional needs. Assesses patients for signs and symptoms of nutritional deficiencies; evaluates appropriate fluid and electrolytes; reviews laboratory and clinical progress notes; informs physicians of patient's nutritional status and need for initiation of or change in diet, enteral or parenteral feeding.
• Charts and completes nutritional consult forms and participates in the evaluation of nutritional programs.
• RD's are responsible for assessing patients' nutritional status and intervening with appropriate medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and/or education to improve, maintain, or optimize nutritional status.
• Follows-up patient progress on a regular basis.
• Counsels patients and families regarding diet and nutritional needs.
• Provides nutrition education to patients, families and other healthcare professionals concerning nutrition therapy.
• Consults with clinical staff on specific nutrition problems and issues.
• Plans and administers nutrition programs for patients and their caregivers.
• Provides face to face PEG tub education.
• Reviews and evaluates nutritional literature and material for staff use.
• Participates in the orientation and ongoing training and in-service of staff on nutrition issues, research, programs, and community resources.
• Provides information regarding dietary activity.
• Coordinate and manage enteral nutrition therapy with team and home infusion companies.
• Accurately and completely documents all clinical activity on patient charts in accordance with company policy and procedure.
• Participates in the development, implementation and revision of patient care plans in conjunction with other clinical staff for all patients receiving nutritional support.
• Provides coverage to all outpatient clinics and inpatient areas as needed to assure continuity of patient care in the absence of the primary center dietitian.
• Reviews electronic patient needs assessments, consults and referrals, patient secured messaging, as received and triages patient nutrition needs according to standards.
• Provides quality nutrition care in relation to the patient’s diagnosis, treatment, age group, nutrition status, and other needs in both an acute care environment, and/or within the clinics as appropriate.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team individually and in meetings in recommending, implementing, and monitoring of nutrition interventions.
• Provides professional and staff education to ensure the safe management and care of patients and families by clearly presenting formal and informal in-service classes in all outpatient clinics and by providing clearly understood written and/or printed information. May provide written and verbal information at professional conferences and seminars.
• Maintains productivity at or above department established standards.
• Must participate in department Quality Improvement efforts by collecting data for quality improvement projects.
• Participates in departmental revision of resources that may include Patient Education materials, Diet Manual, Practice Guidelines, Formulary, other educational resources (PowerPoint presentations, videos), and Policies and Procedures when appropriate.
• Provides advanced clinical nutrition practice information/education to other members of the patient care team and/or the community.
• Contributes and participates in the CARTI Bridge Programming educational workshops and support groups related to nutrition.
• Attend bi-monthly, multi-disciplinary head and neck tumor board.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, LICENSURE, REGISTRATION:

• BS in nutritional sciences or related field
• Active State of Arkansas Licensed Dietician (LD)
• Registered Dietician (RD) or Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RDN) by the Commission of Dietetic Registration
• Board Certification as a Specialist in Oncology Nutrition (preferred)

EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES:

• Minimum 2 years’ clinical nutrition experience
• Outpatient oncology experience, preferred.
• Knowledge of electronic medical record
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Power Point and Word Process
• Good decision making and judgment capabilities
• Ability to identify and solve complex problems
• Being socially perceptive; that is, aware of the reactions of others and understanding those reactions
• Good reading comprehension skills
• Good coordination skills and the ability to adjust one’s actions in relation to others’ actions
• Effective logic, reasoning and critical thinking skills
• Effective writing skills
• Effective speaking skills
• Active listening skills