PACE Southeast Michigan Registered Dietitian

The Registered Dietitian (RDN) is responsible for assessing the nutrition status and implementing appropriate interventions to ensure the needs of the participant are met.

Reviews nutritional needs prior to enrollment into the program.
Responsible for completing initial, semi-annual, and annual assessments. Participant comprehensive assessments may include evaluation of:
Diet recall
Current diet
Meal patterns
Assistance with meal preparation and grocery shopping
Anthropometric analysis
Weight monitoring
Appetite changes
Difficulty chewing and/or swallowing
Food allergies and preferences
Monitoring for food insecurity
Cultural and religious preferences
Past medical history
Evaluation of laboratory indicators
Need for nutritional supplements and/or frozen meals
Education follow up
Reviews and determines appropriate therapeutic diets.
Works and collaborates with participants and caregivers, as well as members of the Interdisciplinary Team in developing the participant’s plan of care.
Evaluates participant’s motivation for changes towards positive outcomes. Implements individualized interventions and adjusts goals of care as needed.
Supervises the participants in the Day Health Center to ensure that meals served are in compliance with the RDNs diet recommendations. Communicates changes in dietary needs to Interdisciplinary Team.
Collaborates with Day Health Center Staff and other members of the Interdisciplinary Team in identifying participants with difficulty chewing and/or swallowing and refers to the appropriate team member for evaluation as needed.
Counsels and educates participants and their caregivers to enhance the health and overall well-being of the participant.
Organizes and maintains updated frozen meal and nutritional supplement lists.
Approves and revises all cycle menus.
Coordinates care with outside healthcare professionals.
Maintains frequent contact and follow up with participants identified at high nutritional risk.
Identifies clinical characteristics of malnutrition.
Calculates nutritional needs and coordinates care with Home Infusion Company for participants receiving enteral nutritional support.
Understands, complies with and promotes the Participant Bill of Rights and work to achieve high levels of participant satisfaction.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

A professional level of knowledge such as that required though the completion of a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition.
Completion of dietetic internship or equivalent practicum, plus registration as a Dietitian by the Commission on Dietetic Registration or at least be registration eligible for consideration.
Must have (1) year of experience with aging adults.
Participates in annual, mandatory, in-service training and screening, including but limited to: infection control, TB testing, safety training, and BLS training.
Requires a professional level of analytical skills in order to analyze and solve problems and develop viable plans of interventions.
The ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and interdepartmental relationships.
The ability to apply principles of adult learning in planning and implementing educational activities; one-to-one teaching participants and family members at the center or at home, staff education formally or informally in settings such as in-services and group activities with higher functioning participants.
Participates in and/or facilitates quality improvement projects resulting from data analysis.
Ensures compliance to departmental and external standards in the provision of quality focused care by attendance at professional meetings/committees and review or national standards of practice.
Participation in various committees as assigned.
Must meet a standardized set of competencies before working independently.
Must be medically cleared for communicable diseases and have all immunizations up-to-date before engaging in direct participant contact.

Working Conditions:

Working conditions are variable with exposure to communicable disease, due to patient environment.
Driving is required within PACE of Southeast catchment area, with possible exposure to extreme temperatures, including heat and cold.
Frequent walking, bending, lifting of forty (40) pounds or more may be needed in the performance of duties.