Clinical Dietetic Technician

Summary DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (COVID-19 – VA 002) in-accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3304(a)(3) and 5 CFR 337.205(b)(1)-(4). Responsibilities This position is located at the VA Medical Center in Clinical Nutrition Section of Nutrition and Food Services. The Clinical Dietetic Technician has the responsibility of providing a high-level of technical assistance and support to the Clinical Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in providing all steps of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Nutrition Care Process and for participating as an Interdisciplinary Care Team member. The incumbent performs duties with a high level of independence and demonstrates exceptional competence regarding clinical and administrative duties while functioning within the assigned Scope of Practice. -Nutrition Assessment: Obtain, verify, and interpret data needed to identify nutrition related problems, their causes, and significance. -Nutrition Diagnosis: Use the data obtained from the nutrition assessment to identify the chief nutrition problem, its etiology, and the signs and symptoms to support the diagnosis. -Nutrition Intervention: Develop and implement the clinical nutrition care plan to address and manage the Nutrition Diagnosis. -Nutrition Monitoring/Evaluation: Communicate, monitor, and document (in the medical record) the response to nutrition therapy in accordance with regulatory standards. -Provides nutrition care to inpatients and outpatients, which may include completing nutrition screens as well as working with the Registered Dietitian (RD) to develop and carry out nutrition interventions and plans. -Provides nutrition education to patients and/or significant others regarding basic diet modifications and prescribed diets (i.e., high fiber, low fiber, no added salt, low sodium, American Heart Association Guidelines, weight reduction, weight gain, etc.). -Collects and analyzes data from the medical record and interviews patients to obtain information on diagnoses, laboratory data, medications, clinical symptoms, anthropometrics, food-related preferences, allergies and intolerances, alterations in appetite, swallowing or digestion, unplanned weight loss/gain, diet history and understanding of prescribed diets. -Care plans reflect knowledge of various disease entities, the effects of the aging process (specifically young adult, middle adult, geriatric stages), treatment modalities, and drug/nutrient interactions. Makes recommendations for patients diet prescriptions and/or nourishments within established guidelines according to patient needs and preferences. -May act as clinical preceptor to dietetic students within affiliated programs. Participates in Medical Center and professional programs, conferences or committees as appropriate and/or assigned. -Assists Veterans with logistics of virtual modalities such as VA Video Connect (VVC). Work Schedule: Position Description Title/PD#: Clinical Dietetic Technician/ Physical Requirements: The work requires walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, such as meal trays, instruction material, books and manuals. Some of the work is sedentary, such as computer activities. Computer entry of electronic progress notes, entailing multiple episodes of keyboard stokes is a daily responsibility. It may be necessary to push electronic equipment and arrange classroom areas in preparation of classes. Work Environment: Work is performed in a hospital, requiring normal safety precautions typical of a Medical Center with critically ill Veterans, psychiatric, Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center, Domiciliary and/or Ambulatory Care Units, and involves some exposure to contagious disease. The employee must observe normal safety precautions while working in an office setting with electrical and stationary equipment and use correct lifting techniques. Discomfort may exist due to ventilating system and/or humidity changes in various offices. Universal Blood/Body fluid precautions may necessitate protective equipment be worn in situations of potential exposure. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Basic Education Requirement: Successfully completed a course of study in an accredited college leading to an associates degree in Dietetic Technology with an emphasis in Nutrition Care or the equivalent post-secondary education. Education must have included instruction in nutrition care/diet therapy, the natural sciences (e.g. anatomy, physiology, biochemistry), social sciences (e.g. psychology, sociology), food sciences, medical terminology, communications, and education. In addition, education must have included supervised field experience in a hospital or similar clinical setting. Note: Copies of pertinent transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application. Education will not be credited without documentation. And GS-6 grade level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: (1) Knowledge of human nutrition requirements in health and disease; (2) Ability to gather data from the medical record and document information pertinent to nutritional care; (3) Ability to monitor and influence the patients nutritional intake; (4) Ability to provide nutrition education for selected groups of patients; (5) Skill in patient interviewing and nutrition counseling; (6) Ability to interact and communicate orally with people from a variety of backgrounds; and (7) Ability to function effectively in a support position within a Clinical Dietetic section of a general medical and surgical and/or psychiatric hospital. Qualifying specialized experience includes: developing and revising nutrition care plans; interpreting significance of abnormal laboratory values related to nutritional status; performing nutrition screening, assessing meal intakes and adjusting meal plans as appropriate; providing nutrition education; communicating with patients and other health care team members regarding patients nutritional needs; using nutrition technology applications; and assessing the effectiveness of nutrition care plans, documenting care plans using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) guidelines. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-XX. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. There is no educational substitution for the GS-6 level. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Additional Information The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPMs Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.