Dietitian 

Purpose of Your Job Position

The primary purpose of your job position is to plan, organize, develop, and direct the overall operation of the Dietary Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations governing our facility, and as may be directed by the Administrator, to assure that quality nutritional services are provided on a daily basis and that the dietary department is maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.

Lord Chamberlain is a family-owned skilled nursing facility in Stratford, Connecticut with a classical aesthetic and dynamic working environment. We have two major units: one with 60 beds, specializing in short-term rehabilitation and a 190-bed unit specializing in long-term care. Come join our team of top-notch care providers!

40 HRS WEEK

Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative Functions

·Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct the Dietary Department, its programs and activities, in conjunction with the Food Service Director.

·Coordinate dietary services and activities with other related departments (i.e., Nursing, Housekeeping, Social Services, etc.), in conjunction with the Food Service Director.

·Develop and maintain written dietary policies and procedures.

·Develop and maintain written job descriptions for each level of dietary personnel in accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, OSHA, and other pertinent laws governing job positions.

·Interpret the department's policies and procedures to employees, residents, visitors, government agencies, etc.

·Assist the dietary staff in the development and use of departmental policies, procedures, equipment, supplies, etc.

·Assume the responsibility of obtaining/maintaining material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for hazardous chemicals used or stored in the dietary department in conjunction with the Food Service Director.

·Perform administrative duties such as completing necessary forms, reports, evaluations, studies, etc., to assure control of equipment and supplies.

·Review the department's policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, etc., at least annually for revisions, and make recommendations to the Administrator (e.g., ADA, ergonomics, air quality, etc.).

·Keep abreast of economic conditions/situations and recommend to the Administrator adjustments in dietary services that assure the continued ability to provide daily dietary services.

·Make written oral reports/recommendations to the Administrator as necessary/required concerning the operation of the Dietary Department.

·Submit accident/incident reports to the Business Office within twenty-four (24) hours after their occurrence.

·Assume the administrative authority, responsibility and accountability of directing the Dietary Department.

·Inspect food storage rooms, utility/janitorial closets, etc., for upkeep and supply control.

·Review and develop a plan of correction for dietary service deficiencies noted during survey inspections and provide a written copy of such to the Administrator for his/her approval.

·Delegate a responsible staff member to act in your behalf when absent from the facility.

·Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job related dietary functions to ensure that tasks involving potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded.

·Review departmental complaints and grievances from personnel and make written reports to the Administrator of action(s) taken. Follow facility's established procedures.

·Develop and implement a dietary service organization structure.

·Assist the Quality Assessment and Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct dietary deficiencies.

·Develop, implement, and maintain an ongoing quality assurance program for the Dietary Department.

·Assist the Discharge Planning Coordinator in planning the dietary service’s portion of the resident's discharge plan.

·Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies.

·Interview residents or family members, as necessary, to obtain diet history.

·Participate in maintaining records of the resident's food likes and dislikes.

·Assist in developing methods for determining quality and quantity of food served.

·Ensure that charted dietary progress notes are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident's response to the service.

·Ensure that menus are maintained and filed in accordance with established policies and procedures.

·Maintain an adequate liaison with families and residents as necessary.

·Maintain a reference library of written material, laws, diet manuals, etc., necessary for complying with current standards and regulations and that will provide assistance in maintaining quality food service.

·Visit residents periodically to evaluate the quality of meals served, likes and dislikes, etc.

·Involve the resident/family in planning dietary objectives and goals for the resident.

·Assist in planning regular and special diet menus as prescribed by the attending physician.

·Assist in developing diet plans for individual residents.

·Assist the Director of Food Services in planning menus, work schedules, etc., as required.

·Review therapeutic and regular diet plans and menus to assure they are in compliance with the physician's orders.

·Review the dietary requirements of each resident admitted to the facility, as may be required, and assist the attending physician in planning for the resident's prescribed diet plan.

·Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, as well as other related departments in planning food service programs and activities.

·Ensure that residents are offered a nourishing snack at bedtime.

·Others as deemed necessary and appropriate, or as may be directed by the Administrator.

Committee Functions

·Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the facility (i.e., Infection Control, CQI, etc.) as required, and as appointed by the Administrator.

·Provide written and/ or oral reports of the dietary service programs and activities as required, or as may be directed by such committee(s).

·Evaluate and implement recommendations from established committees as they may pertain to dietary services.

·Meet with dietary personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis and solicit advice from inter-department supervisors concerning the operation of the Dietary Department, assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the improvement of services.

·Attend department head meetings, etc., as scheduled or as may be called.

·Schedule and announce departmental meeting times, dates, places, etc.

Personnel Functions

·Assist in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of dietary personnel.

·Determine departmental staffing requirements necessary to meet the Dietary Department's needs, and assign a sufficient number of dietary personnel for each tour of duty.

·Recommend to the Administrator the number and level of dietary personnel to be employed.

·Schedule department work hours (including vacation and holiday schedules), personnel, work assignments, etc., to expedite work.

·Delegate administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability to other dietary personnel as deemed necessary to perform their assigned duties (i.e., Food Service Director, Head Cook, etc.).

·Counsel/discipline dietary personnel as requested or as necessary.

·Terminate employment of personnel when necessary, documenting and coordinating such actions with the Human Resource Director and/or Administrator.

·Assist in standardizing the methods in which dietary tasks will be performed.

·Review and check competence of dietary personnel and make necessary adjustments/corrections as required or that may become necessary.

·Maintain a productive working relationship with other department supervisors and coordinate dietary services to assure that daily dietary services can be performed without interruption.

·Ensure that appropriate identification documents are presented prior to employment and that such records are maintained in the employee's personnel record.

·Make daily rounds to assure that dietary personnel are performing required duties and to assure that appropriate dietary procedures are being rendered to meet the needs of the facility.

·Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest, and positive emphasis as well as a calm environment throughout the facility.

·Assist in establishing a food service production line, etc., to assure that meals are prepared on time.

·Monitor absenteeism to ensure that an adequate number of dietary service personnel are on duty at all times. Report problem areas to the Human Resource Director.

·Conduct departmental performance evaluations in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures.

·Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures governing accidents and incidents.

RHMLC