Job Title: Registered Dietician

Department: Dietary

Job Type: Contract

Shift Type: Part-Time (About 25 Hours/Week)

Pay: $50.75/hour 

We are actively seeking a contract Registered Dietician for a part-time role. As a Registered Dietician, you are responsible for establishing and maintaining nutritional levels for our residents. If you are a detail-oriented individual focused on residents’ dietary requirements and quality of life, who can effectively collaborate with teams of individuals to provide dietetic services, then we’d like to talk to you about this flexible work opportunity.

Pleasant Valley Manor is a premier non-profit long-term care facility located in the idyllic foothills of the Pocono Mountains near Stroudsburg, PA, with caring roots in our community since 1974, delivering unparalleled quality and compassionate resident care with a focus on individual resident needs, and delivering positive outcomes for residents and their families.

Duties and responsibilities of a Registered Dietician include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Plans, organizes, develops, implements, and interprets the programs, goals, objectives, policies, procedures, etc. necessary for providing dietetic services.

· Performs nutritional assessments for newly admitted and readmitted residents, and documents accordingly in the medical record. Interviews each new admission and re-admissions to assess their nutritional needs and food/fluid preferences and maintains records of such. Prepares the MDS and Care Plans on admissions and re-admissions. Performs nutritional assessments for identified high risk residents, with 5-day and 14-day MDS reviews, and documents accordingly in the medical record. Consults with the Medical Director and the Director of Nursing, regarding residents' diets.

· Monitors resident weights for trending or significant weight changes as obtained from the nursing staff. Recommends appropriate interventions and provide follow-up monitoring. Monitors nursing staff’s timely obtaining of weights and notifies Nursing Administration of missing weights.

· Coordinates the Nutrition At Risk (“NAR”) Program for those with significant weight changes. Supervises the weekly NAR Team Meetings of interdisciplinary staff. Maintains weekly reports.

· Participates in QAPI meetings.

· Provides Administration with a monthly NAR summary report.

· Attends and provides recommendations at the weekday morning inter-disciplinary care rounds.

· Verifies diet changes as ordered by the Attending Physician and recommends diet changes as indicated.

· Maintains nutrition care plan for all residents.

· Identifies residents who may be appropriate for a change in level of care as demonstrated by decline in condition and makes recommendations to the Attending Physician and interdisciplinary team.

· Reviews and approves cycle menu for residents with seasonal adjustments.

· Serves as resource person when nutrition charting documentation changes or requires revisions.

· Interprets lab values of residents and makes recommendations accordingly.

· Determines nutrient needs in assessments and determines fluid goals for residents. Coordinates and approves special menus as requested and planned.

· Oversees the Clinical Nutrition Assistant in completing low risk assessments; 30-, 60-, and 90-day quarterly and annual MDS assessments; and provides ongoing education as deemed appropriate.

· Coordinates schedules with the Clinical Nutrition Assistant to ensure proper coverage.

· Assists the Food Service Director with the organization, direction, and administration of the overall operation of the Dietary Department.

· Completes annual performance review appraisals for Clinical Nutrition Assistant position and reviews with the Administrator.

· Serves as a management resource during the State Survey visits and provides input and documentation as requested by Administration.

· Submits to the clinical care team all resident food preferences on admissions and readmissions and any changes in food preferences requested by the resident, nursing, or the therapy staff.

· Reviews Dietary Department policies/procedures, updates diet manual as appropriate, and informs the Administrator of all changes.

· Reviews and approves any menu changes and revisions in seasonal cycle menus for nutritional adequacy and resident acceptance and therapeutic diets, and makes recommendations accordingly. Communicates resident food preferences with Dietary Department personnel as required.

· Reviews food temperature, dishwasher temperature, and PH logs monthly and reports issues to the Administrator.

· Reviews results of monthly Menu Review Meetings held between residents and the Dietary Department and makes recommendations accordingly.

· Reviews diet manual at timely intervals and updates policies/procedures as appropriate in communication with nursing services.

· Monitors interactions between the Physical Therapy Department and the Dietary Department on issues of diet texture concerns.

· Reviews nutritional supplements being provided to residents and communicates to management staff issues with ordering and utilization.

· Validates all communications between the Dietary Department and the nursing staff regarding diet changes, changes in food requests and Attending Physician consult requests.

· Provides nutrition education classes where required by the facility or as part of a compliance plan of correction for the Department of health or other regulatory entity. If required by the facility, additional hours, at the stated hourly rate, will be agreed upon to perform these education sessions.

· Provides hygienic dietetic services which meets the daily nutritional needs of the residents, while providing palatable and attractive meals.

· Involves the resident and/or the resident’s family in planning objectives and goals for the resident.

· Visits each resident, every three (3) months, or more frequently if required, and records findings on residents' charts, as well as any medical change in diet. Visits monthly (or more frequently if required) each tube feed resident and residents with staged skin areas and records findings on residents' charts. Monitor treatment books on all Units for staged skin areas and chart on residents at least monthly.

· Revises and approves cycle menus (as prepared by the Dietary Director): including regular, therapeutic, Holiday, and special function menus.

· Maintains an up-to-date Diet Manual, which is available for use by the attending physicians, nursing staff and Dietetic personnel in the facility.

· Maintains records of diet orders and changes, nutritional care plans and nutritional counseling afforded to the facility's residents.

· Revises and approves menus (as prepared by the Dietary Director), with regard to the cultural backgrounds and food habits of residents, and keeps records of general and therapeutic diets.

· Evaluates present supplements and vitamins for continued use,

· Follows through with the correction of any deficiencies noted by State or Federal inspectors, relating to dietetics.

· Assists with acquainting employees with health and safety standards of the Dietary Department

· Conducts monthly inspections of the Dietary areas.

· When appropriate and in accordance with facility policies, makes recommendations regarding employees' discipline, advancement, suspensions or discharge.

· Attends staff and/or committee meetings, as required or as directed by the Administrator.

· Provides appropriate educational programs for residents and staff.

· Orders food and fluids recalls to determine Kilocalorie protein and fluid needs of residents

· Prepare monthly weight report by evaluating weights for 30-, 90-, and 180-day intervals.

· Attends Care Plan meetings in the absence of the Dietary Technician.

· Performs similar or related duties, as required.

Qualifications:

· Current/valid A.D.A. registration, with PA RD/LDN. All other unrestricted and unconditional required licenses and certifications relating to the position.

· Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, government agencies, and the general public.

· Must possess ability to interpret and exhibit knowledge of laws, regulations and guidelines pertaining to the provision of dietetic services.

· Knowledgeable of Point-Click-Care electronic documentation and reporting system a plus.

· Working knowledge of MS Office, computers, data entry, output, etc.

· Ability to examine, understand, and verify dietetic documents and reports. Must be able to prepare reports in a systematic, neat and legible manner.

· Ability to function independently, have flexibility, personal integrity and the ability to work effectively with residents, personnel and support agencies.

COVID-19 Precautions:

· Temperature screenings.

· Mandatory once-a-week COVID testing.

· Free voluntary COVID vaccinations for employees.

· PPE required and provided.

· Social distancing guidelines in place.

· Escalated sanitizing, disinfecting, and cleaning measures.

Pleasant Valley Manor is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other state and federal protected class.