Dietitian (Clinical)

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

01Basic 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. Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Registration. (1) All applicants must hold the RDN credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Note: Applicants who hold the RDN credential have met the education requirement (e.g. bachelor's degree or higher) of CDR, as such this occupation is considered professional and scientific with a positive education requirement and the procedures in Part I, Chapter 4 of this Handbook will be followed when applying Veteran's preference.

Exception for Dietitians who do not possess the RDN credential. (a) Non-credentialed Dietitians who meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below, but do not possess the RDN credential, may be given a temporary full-time appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).

Non-credentialed Dietitians must have fulfilled each of the following: A) Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college, university or foreign equivalent (refer to Foreign Education below). B) Completed an ACEND® accredited experiential or supervised practice program and provide a verification statement from the program director that conveys eligibility to take the CDR registration exam as a prospective RDN.

A list of ACEND® accredited programs is located on the ACEND® website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory. Foreign Education.

To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND® and meet ACEND®'s International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam. (b) Non-credentialed Dietitians may only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 grade level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential. (c) Non-credentialed Dietitians must provide care under the supervision of a RDN at or above the full performance level. (d) Temporary appointments of non-credentialed Dietitian will not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment. (e) Failure to Obtain Registration.

In all cases, Dietitians must actively pursue meeting registration requirements starting from their appointment date. At the time of appointment, servicing Human Resources (HR) staff in collaboration with the supervisor, will provide non-registered Dietitians the written requirement to obtain registration, the date by which they must acquire it and the consequences for not doing so by the deadline.

Failure to obtain registration within one year from the date of appointment will result in removal from the Dietitian, GS-0630 occupation and may result in termination of employment. 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.

All individuals assigned to this occupation must meet all the basic qualification requirements and all the requirements defined in the specific assignment. Dietitian (Clinical), GS-07 Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Dietitian (Clinical), GS-09. Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. OR Education. Master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements. Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care. Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. Ability to develop patient-centered goals. Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies.

Ability to collaborate with stakeholders. Dietitian (Clinical), GS-11. Experience. At least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation).

Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. Skill in developing patient-centered goals. Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies. Skill in collaborating with stakeholders. Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities.

While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, (KSA's), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training.

02Preferred Experience

Demonstrates expertise in developing personalized nutrition care plans by conducting thorough and comprehensive nutritional assessments. This includes analyzing patients' medical histories, dietary intake, lab results, and nutrition-focused physical examinations to craft tailored nutrition interventions that meet the unique needs and conditions of each patient.

Familiarity with electronic health records and nutrition-related software (CPRS), ensuring precise and efficient documentation of nutrition care processes and communication within healthcare teams. Ability to communicate effectively with patients, families, and healthcare professionals. Adept at providing clear and compassionate nutrition education and counseling tailored to the individual needs of patients.

In-depth understanding of contemporary dietary guidelines, as well as best practices based on the latest evidence in the field of nutrition. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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.

03Physical Requirements

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

GS-7 and GS-9 Dietitian (Clinical) employees are assigned to this developmental position within the Clinical Section of NFS. They perform increasingly complex tasks as they acquire skills in clinical nutrition to apply evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines. Clinical Dietitians coordinate nutritional care of Veterans with other health care providers, the Veteran, the Veteran's caregiver and the community.

Clinical Dietitians learn to interpret research, apply whole health principles and develop patient centered goals. They collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans' dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction. GS-11 Employees in this assignment serve in a Dietitian (Clinical) full performance level position within the Clinical Section of NFS serving as the medical nutrition expert.

They are autonomous in their work in applying evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines for all patients, including those with complex medical and nutritional needs. Clinical Dietitians coordinate nutritional care of Veterans with other health care providers, the Veteran, the Veteran's caregiver, and the community. They interpret research and utilize whole health principles to develop patient-centered goals and improve outcomes.

Clinical Dietitians collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans' dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction. Dietitian (Clinical), GS-07: Additional Duties include but not limited to: Conducts nutrition assessments for patients with lower acuity using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP), including nutrition focused physical examinations, to establish a nutrition diagnosis and determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition.

Develops and implements Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address the nutrition diagnosis, evaluates and monitors the effectiveness and outcomes of MNT interventions. Modifies the plan as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes. Documents MNT in the medical record using the Assessment, Diagnosis, Intervention, Monitoring, Evaluation (ADIME) format. Calculates nutrient requirements and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions.

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-09: Additional Duties include but not limited to: Conducts comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP), including nutrition focused physical examinations, to establish a nutrition diagnosis and determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition. Develops and implements Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address the nutrition diagnosis, evaluates and monitors the effectiveness and outcomes of MNT interventions.

Modifies the plan as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes. Documents MNT in the medical record using the Assessment, Diagnosis, Intervention, Monitoring, Evaluation (ADIME) format. Calculates nutrition requirements and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions, tailoring the diet prescription to each individual patient.

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-11: Additional Duties include but not limited to: Conducts comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP), including nutrition focused physical examinations, to establish a nutrition diagnosis and determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition. Develops and implements Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address the nutrition diagnosis, evaluates and monitors the effectiveness and outcomes of MNT interventions.

Modifies the plan as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes. Calculates nutrient requirements and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions tailoring the diet prescription to each individual patient. Documents MNT in the medical record using the Assessment, Diagnosis, Intervention, Monitoring, Evaluation (ADIME) format. Functions independently and accurately when record keeping. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday.

7:30 am to 4:00pm .Weekends and Holidays rotation Telework: Ad-hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 99531-S, 99530-S, and 99529-S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized