Dietitian - Kidney Acquisition - Full Time 8 Hour Days (Exempt) (Non-Union)

The Outpatient Transplant Dietitian I serves to provide nutritional services for liver, kidney, and pancreas disease transplant recipients and living donors throughout the stages of transplantation. These disease processes require nutritional intervention and management to improve and maintain nutritional status. The Outpatient Transplant Dietitian I is responsible for updating, and implementing assessment protocols, nutrition education programs & materials, and nutrition-focused lifestyle intervention programs that are necessary for providing comprehensive nutritional care for patients at nutritional risk. Obtains and interprets medical information pertinent to the patient's nutritional care to determine risk and assess nutritional status. Includes assessment for presence of malnutrition by utilizing nutrition focused physical exam, frailty index tests, motivational interviewing, and completing chart reviews. Develops and implements an individualized plan for medical nutrition therapy in accordance with the patient's medical goals and objectives. The Outpatient Transplant Dietitian I is also responsible for providing professional guidance and education in nutritional management and diet counseling of patients for physicians, allied health professionals, health science students, and entry-level dietitians. The Outpatient Transplant Dietitian I provides assessments and/or educates patients while they are admitted in the hospital, if indicated. They will collaborate with members of the health care team to provide medical nutrition therapy, identify patients at high nutrition risk based on criteria outlined by the Hospital, assess nutrition needs and identify nutrient requirements according to age and disease specific needs of patients, develop and implement the nutrition care plan, evaluate and monitor the effectiveness and outcomes of medical nutrition therapy intervention, and provides nutrition education to patient and family members to accomplish patient goals and learning objectives. The Outpatient Transplant Dietitian I will work closely with the abdominal transplant nutrition team to assist with coordination of nutrition care with the multidisciplinary team, hospital, university departments/programs, and outside organizations. Examples include aligning and implementing nutrition goals with care teams and working cross collaboratively with stakeholders on nutrition-focused programs and outreach. Additionally, the Outpatient Transplant Dietitian I participates in quality improvement projects, research projects, supervises nutrition assistants, and mentors health science interns/students, as well as, actively assesses, evaluates and maintains professional development and competencies.

Essential Duties:

• Financial (5%) Uses resources effectively and efficiently in practice 1. Uses a systematic approach to maintain and manage resources effectively. 2. Utilizes system practice guidelines, protocols, references, and the nutrition care manual in the provision of nutrition services. 3. Considers safety, effectiveness and cost in providing and delivering nutrition services and products. 4. Justifies use of resources by documenting consistency with plan and desired outcomes. 5. Actively utilizes data collected for performance improvement to improve patient care and nutrition processes. 6. Informs and educates patients, families, health care team members, dietetic interns/students to identify and secure available resources to achieve necessary goals. 7. Supervises and mentors’ dietetic technicians in completing identified tasks and responsibilities.
• Human Resources Management (10%) Engages in lifelong self-development to improve knowledge and skills that promote continued competence 1. Conducts yearly self-assessment (or at regular intervals) to identify professional strengths and weakness. 2. Identifies needs for professional development. 3. Develops and implements a plan for professional growth. 4. Documents professional development activities according to system policy. 5. Adheres to the Code of Ethics for the profession of dietetics and the organization. 6. Supports the application of research findings to professional practice. 7. Takes an active leadership role in delivering nutrition services.
• Quality Assessment and Improvement (10%) Participates in QI projects and tracks quality assurance indicators/actions plans. 1. Assists in the development of departmental standards of nutritional care. 2. Coordinates all outpatient nutrition patient education activities, including review and revision of nutrition education materials, identifying need for additional materials, and coordinating development of new materials. 3. Provides and participates in educational opportunities such as community programs, medical conferences, seminars, and workshops. 4. Systematically evaluates the quality and effectiveness of practice and revises practice as needed to incorporate the results of evaluation a. Participates in and identifies performance improvement criteria for nutrition care. b. Identifies expected outcomes of patient care. c. Documents outcomes of services provided. d. Compares actual performance to expected outcomes. e. Documents action taken when inconsistencies exist between actual performance and expected outcomes. f. Continuously evaluates and refines services based on measured outcomes.
• Leadership (5%) 1. Represents center and organization professionally and ethically at all times. 2. Provides updates on clinical related issues at departmental and inter-departmental committees/meetings. 3. Demonstrates excellent communication and listening skills. 4. Achieves assigned departmental goals. 5. Manages projects for timely and accurate completion. 6. Maintains effective communication with key departmental managers and physician personnel. 7. Assists in managing the outpatient clinic activities. 8. Provides support, expertise, and serves as consultant to other dietitians and health team members regarding diet counseling and nutritional management of outpatients.
• Performs the key functions of nutrition care according to system policy including nutrition screening, assessments, development of care plan, and follow-up monitoring/reassessment of patients identified to be at nutrition risk. (65%) 1. Provides diet counseling and nutrition care services to outpatients whose disorders/diseases require complex dietary management. 2. Conducts in-depth diet history with patients and/or caregivers regarding food habits, preferences, ethnic or cultural background, economic status, physical limitations, and lifestyle habits which may impact on food intake or ability to adhere to nutritional care plan. 3. Reviews medical record and interviews patient to evaluate anthropometric data, laboratory parameters, drug-nutrient interactions, and diet counseling needs. 4. Reviews medical record and interviews patient to evaluate anthropometric data, laboratory parameters, drug-nutrient interactions, and diet counseling needs. 5. Utilizes knowledge of pathophysiology of multiple disease states, knowledge of digestion and metabolism of nutrients, and assessment of nutritional status to develop a realistic individualized dietary plan for the patient. 6. Implements appropriate dietary regimes for individual outpatient/family/caregivers upon consult from physicians, physician assistants or nurse practitioners; alters diet prescriptions in consultation with physician, when indicated. 7. Records results of nutritional assessments and diet counseling in the medical record, as well as progress on follow-up visits. 8. Serves on multidisciplinary treatment team(s) composed of physicians, nurses, social workers, and other allied health team members. 9. Identifies, monitors, and evaluates enteral and parenteral nutrition support regimens. 10. Develops and implements transitional feeding plans. 11. Assesses patients’ learning needs, barriers to learning, preferred learning styles, and educational level and provides nutrition education accordingly. 12. Identifies potential food-drug interactions according to system policy and provides education based on identified need. 13. Utilizes community resources and programs to assist patients in the plan of care. 14. Uses education strategies appropriate to patients’ needs and site of care. 15. Facilitates resources throughout the continuum of care to foster patient outcomes.
• Provision of Services Develops, implements, and promotes quality services based on client expectations and needs 1. Collaborates with the patient and/or family member, and health care team to assess nutrition and education needs of patients. 2. Provides services and establishes goals based on the identified needs of patients and/or family members. 3. Applies knowledge and skills in developing, implementing and maintaining nutrition programs. 4. Advocates for the provision of food and nutrition services as part of patient care. 5. Continuously evaluates nutrition care processes and patient outcomes. 6. Implements quality practice by following system policies, procedures, practice guidelines, MNT protocols. 7. Provides care according to organizational ethics, licensure, and the Standards of Professional Practice for Dietetics Professionals. 8. Applies JCAHO and/or other regulatory standards in the provision of nutrition services.
• Application of Research Effectively applies, participates in or generates research to enhance practice 1. Locates and reviews research findings for their application to optimally manage a disease or condition and improve patient outcomes. 2. Bases clinical practice on sound scientific principles, current research and theory. 3. Participates in and promotes research through alliances and in collaboration with health care team members of the organization. 4. Continually collects, analyzes and evaluates patient outcomes and documents the outcomes of care based on system policy. 5. Shares and reports research and patient outcomes utilizing various media. 6. Contributes to the development of new knowledge and services. 7. Seeks out information effectively and independently to provide effective services.
• Communication and Application of Knowledge Applies knowledge and communicates effectively with others 1. Demonstrates knowledge related to clinical practice. 2. Communicates sound scientific principles, research, and theory to health care team members and dietetic interns/students in optimally managing patients’ care. 3. Shares knowledge and expertise with dietetic interns/students, patients, families and health care team members. 4. Serves as a preceptor and helps dietetic interns/students and clients apply nutrition knowledge and skills. 5. Documents understanding of relevant information and results of communication with dietetic interns/technicians/students, patients, families and health 6. Contributes to the development of new knowledge and services. 7. Seeks out information effectively and independently to provide effective services.
• Outreach Assists with community outreach efforts for patient education and program services. 1. Coordinate nutrition education webinars and classes for in-person and virtual platforms. 2. Develop and update patient education materials for presentation format. 3. Create social media content for patient education and program information. 4. Collaborate with outside organizations for joint education opportunities. 5. Collect metrics on outreach initiatives.
• Other (5%) The employer may, at its discretion, add further duties not currently listed in the job description. Other functions, which the employer may assign to the employee from time to time. When assessing or educating patients while they are admitted to the hospital: Care of Patients and Patient/Family Education

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, Food or related field.

• 2 years Clinical nutrition experience (or 1 year clinical nutrition experience + transplant internship)
• 2 years Experience working with various chronic disease states such as ESRD, ESLD, CKD, NASH, NAFLD, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and malnutrition

• Comfortable in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Works well in a team environment with physicians, nurses and ancillary staff.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Good time management, self-starter, and takes initiative.
• Critical and analytical skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, Food or related field.

• 2 years Clinical experience with adult/elderly population
• 1 year Transplant experience
• Specialty Certification specialization (e.g. CCTC, CDCES, CNSC, CSR etc)
• Specialty Certification - ServSafe Certified

Required Licenses/Certifications:

• Registered Dietitian - RD Certified or Registered Dietitian with the Commission on Dietetic Registration
• Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association.

The annual base salary range for this position is $60,320.00 - $94,020.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.