Register Dietician

Position Title: Registered Dietician

Department: Medical

Position reports to: Chief Medical Officer

Position Summary:
Clinica Romero is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Registered Dietitian to oversee all aspects of nutrition care, including nutrition assessments, care planning, monitoring, patient education, and counseling. The ideal candidate will actively stay current on the latest research regarding health conditions related to nutrition and adjust individual treatment plans as needed to improve patient outcomes and address nutrition-related disorders effectively.

The Registered Dietitian will play a key role in the setup of a new program and will rotate between the Marengo and Alvarado clinics as needed.

Responsibilities:

Medical Dietary/Nutrition Therapy

• Provide nutrition services and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) aligned with the patient's medical and clinical needs.
• Offer MNT for individuals and group clinical classes, covering pediatric, prenatal, and adult patients, including HIV-positive, renal, oncology, and failure to thrive metabolic disorders, unhoused and marginalized individuals.
• Provide/Deliver CPSP services and advise on nutrition for high-risk prenatal patients.
• Complete clinical nutritional assessments and establish care plans considering health literacy, language, and age, cultural, religious, and ethnic needs.

Patient Assessment & Documentation

• Conduct patient nutritional assessments and develop individualized care plans.
• Document clinical assessments, care plans, actions taken, and patient progress in patient records.
• Connecting patients with other needed health services like fitness training and behavioral therapy.
• Promoting nutrition through community-wide presentations and awareness programs.
• Staying up-to-date on the latest nutritional research.

Education & Counseling

• Educate, evaluate, and follow up with patients on clinical nutrition; develop educational materials for both patients and clinical staff.
• Plan, facilitate, and assist in group clinical nutrition education and classes.
• Prepare clinical brochures, visual aids, and other resources for patient education.
• Plan, Develop, and Implement by establishing and maintaining a sustainable clinical department, ensuring long-term growth and success. Provide Leadership and Motivation by leading and inspiring team members, fostering a culture of competency and professional growth.
• Adapt to Industry Changes by driving the advancement of the department in response to evolving trends and regulations within the healthcare industry.

Team Collaboration

• Collaborate with other clinical departments and multidisciplinary team members (e.g., physicians, nurses, health educators, and Pharmacist, Dentist, Optometrist, Psychiatrist and case managers).
• Act as an expert resource on nutrition-related matters within the healthcare team.

Community Outreach & Relationship Building

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with staff, patients, community agencies, and the public.
• Participate in outreach activities and programs to promote clinical nutrition services.

Organizational & Administrative Tasks

• Maintain a well-organized clinical nutrition counseling area with necessary pamphlets, forms, and referral information.
• Complete forms, maintain records accurately, and assist in preparing reports on services provided.

Communication & Sensitivity

• Communicate effectively and respectfully with people from diverse backgrounds and lifestyles, showing sensitivity to their needs.
• Translate medical and nutritional information into simple, understandable terms associated with Health Literacy of the patients.

Outcomes Measurements: Based on regulatory requirements-Governmental, National agencies, Insurance and evidence.

• Assess Clinical Dietary/Nutritional needs.
• Prepare and present annual and quarterly Department work plans
• Prepare, document and implement work flows
• Prepare and deliver monthly activities report for the Board of Directors
• Prepare Population Health data reports

Qualifications/Requirements:

Credentials & Experience

• Registered Dietitian (RD) status, with ongoing CME to maintain certification, targeted to meet patient population clinical needs.
• Minimum three years of experience working with marginalized populations including prenatal and/or HIV+ patients.
• Three years' experience with Clinical Nutrition Therapy and program leaderships within a Community Health Center.
• Clinical experience with Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) models, quality measures, development of Clinical Units and programs.
• Familiarity with national, federal, state, and local networks, as well as surveys, data sets, and other population health measures.
• Certification as a Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition (CSP) or other dietary specialties.
• Membership in professional organizations such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (preferred)
• Experience in community outreach and public health initiatives
• Completion of a supervised practice program (dietetic internship).
• California State licensure as required by law.
• Registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
• Knowledge of nutritional science and medical nutrition therapy.

Skills & Abilities

• Bilingual (English/Spanish)
• Commitment to the Organizations Mission and Values
• Ability to work with multicultural and low-income individuals.
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Outstanding written and verbal skills
• Ability to translate medical information into simple understandable terms.
• Ability to travel between Clinica Romero's multiple site clinics.
• Proficiency with nutrition-related software and technology.
• Proficiency in office systems including MS Office Suite (Word, Excel) and Electronic Health Records (EHR).
• Ability to adapt nutrition education to diverse audiences, including teaching nutrition to groups and recommending daily food guides tailored to the dietary habits of bicultural individuals.
• Strong organizational and time-management abilities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a healthcare team.

Patient & Education Focus

• Skill in adapting nutrition education to diverse audiences and teaching nutrition to groups.
• Ability to work with children and families in a patient-centered manner and adapt to new projects as needed.