Dietitian (Clinical)

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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. (2) 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). i 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 ii 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. ii 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. Loss of Credential. In collaboration with HR Office staff, management officials must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required registration/certification of duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation and/or assignment, which may also result in separation from employment. Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification, where applicable. Physical Requirements. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. English Language Proficiency. Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Dietitian (Clinical), GS-07 Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. Employees in this assignment serve in a Dietitian (Clinical) entry-level developmental position. They work under the guidance of a Dietitian who is at the full performance level or above, performing increasingly complex tasks designed to prepare them for promotion. Clinical Dietitians conduct nutrition assessments for patients with lower acuity using the NCP while developing skills to apply evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines. Clinical Dietitians learn to interpret research, apply whole health principles and develop patient-centered goals. They develop skills in accurate record keeping of clinical activities and complete patient encounters using approved systems. Clinical Dietitians comply with The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care. They collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans’ dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction. 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. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements. (b) Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care. (c) Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). (d) Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. (e) Ability to develop patient-centered goals. (f) Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies. (g) 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. Examples of experience include: Applied knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements. Applied knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care. Delivered patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). Applied evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. Developed patient-centered goals. Collected data for performance improvement studies. Collaborated with stakeholders. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). (b) Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. (c) Skill in developing patient-centered goals. (d) Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies. (e) Skill in collaborating with stakeholders. (f) Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/80 SEPTEMBER 5, 2014 PART II APPENDIX G20 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.
The Iowa City VA Health Care System is recruiting for 1 full-time Dietician (Clinical) for Nutrition and Food Services. This position will be functioning as an outpatient dietitian as part of an interdisciplinary care team for the MOVE! Weight Management Program. Other clinical and administrative duties can be assigned based on workload. This position is located in the VA Federal Building with free on-site parking.