Job responsibilities
JOB PURPOSE
To provide part of a professional Nutrition and Dietetic care service within a
Specialist area. This includes advice to in-patients, out-patients, all healthcare staff and participation in the training of student dietitians. Shows initiative in assisting and supporting the senior specialist dietitians and the Clinical Dietetic Manager in the day to day management of the department.
3. JOB DIMENSIONS
The post holder will:
3.1 Manage own case load to a level agreed with supervisor/line manager.
3.2 Be involved in the provision of education and training to healthcare staff, patients, care providers and students.
3.3 Be a key member of the multidisciplinary care team to provide integrated dietetic care.
3.4 Shows initiative in assisting and supporting the senior specialist dietitians and the chief dietitian in the day to day management of the department.
3.5 Deliver training to healthcare staff, dietitians and students.
3.6 Be an active member of the out of hours service.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
5.1 BSc (Hons) Nutrition & Dietetics or equivalent.
5.2 HCPC Registration as a dietitian
5.3 Experience of working within a Dietetic role within a healthcare setting
5.4 Willing to undergo any training as required to enable performance in the job.
5.5 Awareness of current issues in specialised areas of dietetics.
5.6 Able to work within a team, demonstrate initiative, confidence and excellent time management and organisational skills.
5.7 Good written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.
5.8 Good presentation skills in delivering training to large multidisciplinary groups of staff or members of the public (this may involve groups of more than 50 people).
8. CORE BEHAVIOURS AND SKILLS
8.1 Demonstrate good office practice in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.
8.2 Be a pro-active team member of the Dietetics department at LTHT by participating in departmental development projects, attending and participating in departmental meetings and clinical updates.
8.3 Demonstrate the ability to communicate highly complex, specialised and sensitive information with empathy and understanding.
8.4 Demonstrate the ability to provide highly complex nutrition counselling to patients requiring cognitive behavioural therapy skills and use of advanced reassurance, motivational and negotiation skills to overcome barriers to change.
8.5 Demonstrate the ability to analyse clinical and non-clinical information to form accurate nutrition care plans in specialised areas.
8.6 Demonstrate analytical skills in prioritising the best course of dietetic treatment in patients with highly complex clinical conditions, where nutritional goals may conflict with other on-going physical, emotional, psychological and medical problems.
8.7 Ability to use stadiometers, anthropometric skin-fold callipers with precision and accuracy in the nutritional assessment of patients.
9. CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
9.1 Ability to perform specialised nutritional assessments, interpret and plan relevant dietetic care programmes for patients with highly complex nutritional needs and multiple medical conditions.
9.2 Advanced knowledge of biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology.
9.3 Understanding of the calculations required in dietetic assessment.
9.4 Ability to correctly interpret complex nutritional impairments, biochemical parameters and fluid balance. This will involve nutritional diagnosis including interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometrics, clinical condition, Social factors and diet histories in patients with specialised and complex nutritional needs.
9.5 Demonstrate advanced knowledge in interpretation of complex clinical information to develop, monitor and complete nutritional care plans in a specialised dietetic areas. This may include the prescription of dietary treatment, prescribable nutritional products and enteral nutrition.
9.6 Responsible for safe discharge planning including the discharges of patients receiving home enteral nutrition.
9.7 Demonstrate the ability to evaluate practice using evidence based practice and critical appraisal.
9.8 Ability to advise and suggest nutrition related medications.
9.9 Knowledge of clinical governance, quality of care and evidence based practice in specialist areas.
9.10 Awareness of national guidance and driving factors in specialist areas.
9. PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
9.1 Clinical and professional
9.1.1 Be an autonomous practitioner, clinically, legally and professionally responsible for own caseload.
9.1.2 Responsible as a clinical practitioner in a specialist dietetic field, for delivering high quality specialist dietetic care. This will involve being guided by departmental standards, professional guidelines, broad occupational policies and procedures.
9.1.3 Collect, analyse and record relevant patient information from clinical and patients sources to develop effective nutritional plans.
9.1.4 Responsible for providing highly specialised dietary advice within an in-patient and out-patient setting, to patients in a distinct specialist area e.g. advice to renal dialysis patients on calcium and phosphate management. oncology patients on enteral feeding.
9.1.5 Communicate the nutrition and dietary treatment of patient to healthcare staff, other professionals and patient carers. This may involve co-ordinating nutritional care with other trusts and centres outside the Trust.
9.1.6 Undertake comprehensive assessments of patients with diverse and complex nutritional issues where investigative and analytical skills are required to formulate accurate treatment plans.
9.1.7 Responsible for providing relevant dietary advice within an in-patient and out-patient setting in verbal and written forms in a format which is understood by patients and carers.
9.1.8 Responsible for developing and maintaining an agreed level of expertise by updating own specialised clinical knowledge and skills through attendance at post-graduate courses, clinical updates and in-service training.
9.1.9 Participate in the appraisal process as an appraise and develop a strategy for personal and continuous professional development, encompassing a portfolio-based assessment in line with national legislation.
9.1.10 Participate in audit within specialist areas, involving evaluation of research and audit projects to measure clinical effectiveness and promote evidence based practice.
9.1.11 Undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade as requested/ agreed with the line manager.
9.2 Education and training
9.2.1 Devise and implement specialised nutritional care plans for inpatients and outpatients according to current national guidelines and standards, including NSFs. This will involve advising patients, relatives or carers, individually or in a group setting.
9.2.2 Contribute to developing and maintaining agreed levels of expertise of dietetic team members.
9.2.3 Provide effective oral and written specialised dietetic advice and information to patients and their carers to enable achievement of dietary aims.
9.2.4 Develop resources used in the education and training of patients, health professionals and the public.
9.2.5 Deliver formal and informal talks on nutrition and dietetics to health care staff as required.
9.2.6 Plan and deliver student training as assigned after an appropriate induction period / supervisory training course.
9.2.7 Train ward staff to use dietetic resources appropriately
9.2.8 Participate in providing specialised advice, teaching and training to other members of the multidisciplinary team regarding the nutritional managements of a specialist group of patients.
9.2.9 Be an active member of the in-service training programme through delivery of training sessions and tutorials at staff meetings and by attending external courses and demonstrating reflective practice.
9.3 Managerial
9.3.1 Disseminate clinical information to other members of the multidisciplinary team by attendance and participation in ward rounds and case conference as required.
9.3.2 Responsible for ordering and cancelling additional snacks and nutritional supplements from catering and pharmacy according to patients clinical condition and requirements.
9.3.3 Involved in the planning, setting and monitoring of departmental objectives and standards as assigned. This will include contributing to the adaptation of national standards for use in the local setting.
9.3.4 Participate in surveys, research and audit as required. Help to recommend any changes to practice after discussion with supervisory / chief dietitian.
9.3.5 Participate in the collection of data for management information purposes as requested.
9.3.6 Ability to work independently within appropriate professional and specialist guidelines.
9.3.7 Maintain stock control of diet sheets, patient information and educational material for ward, discharge and outpatient use.
9.4 Organisational
9.4.1 Plans and organises complex caseload. This may involve prioritising and reviewing tasks several times throughout the day to accommodate competing clinical demands.
9.4.2 Co-ordinates discharge planning of patients with complex nutritional needs, liaising with community dietitians nursing staff, GPs and other health care professionals within the locality and region to ensure safe discharge e.g. patients on home enteral nutrition.
9.4.3 Provide appropriate diet sheets / patient education material for ward discharge and outpatient use.
9.4.4 Participate in departmental and multidisciplinary meetings where required to ensure integrated dietetic care.
9.4.5 Liaise with the Catering Department to ensure the correct provision of meals for patients on therapeutic diets.
9.4.6 Responsible for participating in the development of a dietetic resource manual as required.
9.4.7 Provide cover for annual leave, sickness, bank holidays etc as required.
