Summary The Home Based Primary Care Clinical Dietitian is a full performance Dietitian serving as the medical nutrition expert. At this grade level, the dietitian is responsible for independently planning, developing, & directing all nutritional care activities by applying evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines for all Veterans, including those with complex medical & nutritional needs. They interpret research & utilize whole health principles to develop patient-centered goals & improve outcomes. Responsibilities The clinical dietitian will be involved in the professional practice of nutrition in accordance with the guidance set forth in Nutrition & Food Services (NFS) directives, policies & procedures, & VA regulations governing the practice of nutrition. The clinical dietitian may be scheduled & assigned to any nutrition practice area, & must possess the required knowledge & skills to perform the following functions: Nutritional Care: Conducts a comprehensive nutrition assessment utilizing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) for assigned patients. Develops & implements an individualized plan for Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address the nutrition diagnosis in accordance with the medical program goals & objectives. Performs a Nutrition Focused Physical Exam (NFPE) during assessments to determine risk &/or degree of malnutrition. Calculates nutrient requirements (calories, protein, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, electrolytes & fluids) & necessary diet restrictions or food/drug interactions to each individual patient. Utilizes evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines & Whole Health Principles to develop shared goals with the patient & formulates a plan of care that is focused on the etiology of the nutrition problem. Orders labs, diets, & consults per Scope of Practice / Clinical privileges. Nutrition Education & Coordination of Care: Assesses educational needs & provides nutrition education/counseling for individuals & groups, incorporating a learning approach that considers the cultural, religious, educational & medical situation of the patient. Includes information regarding budgeting, menu planning, food purchasing & preparation, food storage & sanitation. Identifies drug-nutrient interactions & drug-drug incompatibilities & counsels / communicates with the patient regarding the impact on nutrition status &/or nutrient utilization. Provides follow-up nutrition education/counseling in accordance with the treatment goals & determines when a problem requires consultation or referral to another provider or service. Assists in the education & oversight of dietetic students & interns. Participates in community projects & education. Business Functions Ensures completion of consult management tasks by reviewing assigned nutrition consults. Maintains accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities & completes patient encounters utilizing the Event Capture System (ECS). Manages resources(time, materials, & staff) in a cost-effective manner. Assists in developing & revising patient education materials, clinical forms, & protocols. Participates in the orientation & training of new staff (e.g. dietetic interns, clinical dietitians, etc.) Quality Improvement/Research Leads Performance Improvement activities by participating in the development of nutritional care indicators, evaluation criteria, collecting performance improvement data, monitoring outcomes, & initiating corrective actions. Participates in planning & developing nutrition-related policies, procedures, & goals. Participates in service-level strategic planning. Stays abreast of current research in nutrition related areas. Participation as a Member of the Health Care Team: Serves as the medical nutrition expert for medical staff on the nutritional management of patients. Communicates & influences treatment interventions determined by the medical team through interdisciplinary meetings, team rounds, medical conferences & nutrition-related in-services. Presents seminars, workshops, & lectures to convey current nutrition information on new & changing concepts. Performs other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the service & patients to include providing support / coverage for vacancies & leave. Assists in patient discharge planning to ensure provision of appropriate services & equipment for enteral feeding. Serves as a member of the VAMC inspection team for the state homes, homeless shelters, & community nursing homes. May participate in community outreach activities. Professional Development Maintains Registered Dietitian Nutritionist registration & continuing education requirements. Develops & implements an individualized plan for professional growth & development including participation in professional organizations & activities, workshops, seminars, & staff development programs. Participates in departmental &/or interdisciplinary meetings, task forces, & projects. Incumbent may be assigned other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the Medical Center The incumbent functions independently for all professional & technical aspects of clinical nutrition. They are responsible for planning & organizing their own work & coordinating with staff & management personnel as appropriate. Work is reviewed for technical accuracy/adequacy & conformance with VHA procedures & practices. Work Schedule: 0800-1630 Monday- Friday Telework: Regular Teleworks 6+ Days Functional Statement #: 436-56611-A Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications 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 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.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. 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: Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college, university or foreign equivalent (refer to ii below). 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. 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. Non-credentialed Dietitians must provide care under the supervision of a RDN at or above the full performance level. Temporary appointments of non-credentialed Dietitian will not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment. 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. 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. Employees appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, either on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. The following provisions apply to employees who do not meet all the qualification requirements: Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in a supervisory or managerial position. Employees must meet the assignment-specific certification/education requirements to be placed in Dietitian (Advanced Level Practice) or Dietitian (Dietetic Internship Director) assignments. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or registration/certification that meet all the qualification standard's basic or assignment-specific requirements must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation/assignment. Employees retained in this occupation under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re- entry in the occupation. English Language Proficiency. Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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: 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. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements. 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). 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. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate 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. Preferred Experience: 1 year PACT experience or Primary Care experience 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-07 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Refer to VA Handbook 5019 for pre-placement examination requirements. Dietitian(Clinical)providing HBPC must possess a current, valid, and unrestricted drivers license in order to operate a government owned vehicle. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.