Job responsibilities
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:
Manage own case load to a level agreed with supervisor / line manager.
Be involved in the provision of education and training to healthcare
staff, patients, care providers and students
Be a key member of the multidisciplinary care team to provide integrated
dietetic care
Shows initiative in assisting and supporting the senior specialist dietitians
and the chief dietitian in the day to day management of the department.
Deliver training to healthcare staff, dietitians and students.
Be an active member of the out of hours service.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
BSc (Hons) Nutrition & Dietetics or equivalent
HCPC Registration as a dietitian
Experience of working within a Dietetic role within a healthcare setting
Willing to undergo any training as required to enable performance in the
job.
Awareness of current issues in specialised areas of dietetics
Able to work within a team, demonstrate initiative, confidence and
excellent time management and organisational skills
Good written, oral and interpersonal communication skills
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
Demonstrate good office practice in accordance with departmental policies
and procedures
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
Demonstrate the ability to communicate highly complex specialised and
sensitive information with empathy and understanding
Demonstrate the ability to communicate highly complex specialised and
sensitive information with empathy and understanding
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
Demonstrate the ability to analyse clinical and non-clinical information
to form accurate nutrition care plans in specialised areas
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
Ability to use stadiometers, anthropometric skin-fold callipers with
precision and accuracy in the nutritional assessment of patients
9. CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Ability to perform specialised nutritional assessment, interpret and plan
relevant dietetic care programmes for patients with highly complex nutritional
needs and multiple medical conditions
Advanced knowledge of biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology
Understanding of the calculations required in dietetic assessment
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.
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.
Responsible for safe discharge planning including the discharges of
patients receiving home enteral nutrition
Demonstrate the ability to evaluate practice using evidence based practice
and critical appraisal
Ability to advise and suggest nutrition related medications
Knowledge of clinical governance, quality of care and evidence based
practice in specialist areas
Awareness of national guidance and driving factors in specialist based
9. PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Clinical and Professional
Be an autonomous practitioner, clinically, legally and professionally
responsible for own caseload.
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.
Collect, analyse and record relevant patient information from clinical and
patients sources to develop effective nutritional plans.
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
Communicate the nutrition and dietary treatment of patient to healthcare
staff, other professionals and patients carers. This may involve co
coordinating nutritional care with other trusts and centres outside the Trust.
Undertake comprehensive assessment of patients with diverse and complex
nutritional issues where investigative and analytical skills are required to
formulate accurate treatment plans
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.
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
Participate in audit within specialist areas, involving evaluation of
research and audit projects to measure clinical effectiveness and promote
evidence based practice
Undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade as requested / agreed
with the line manager
Education and training
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.
Contribute to developing and maintaining agreed levels of expertise of
dietetic team members
Provide effective oral and written specialised dietetic advice and
information to patients and their carers to enable achievement of dietary aims.
Develop resources used in the education and training of patients, health
professionals and the public
Deliver formal and informal talks on nutrition and dietetics to health
care staff as required
Plan and deliver student training as assigned after an appropriate
induction period / supervisory training course
Train ward staff to use dietetic resources appropriately
Participate in providing specialised advice, teaching and training to
other members of the multidisciplinary team regarding the nutritional
managements of a specialised group of patients
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
Managerial
Disseminate clinical information to other members of the multidisciplinary
team by attendance and participation in ward rounds and case conference as
required.
Responsible for ordering and cancelling additional snacks and nutritional
supplements from catering and pharmacy according to patients clinical condition
and requirements.
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
Participate in surveys, research and audit as required. Help to recommend
any changes to practice after discussion with supervisory / chief dietitian
Participate in the collection of data for management information purposes
as requested
Ability to work independently within appropriate professional and specialist
guidelines
Maintain stock control of diet sheets, patient information and educational
material for ward, discharge and outpatient use.
Organisational
Plans and organises complex caseload. This may involve prioritising and
reviewing tasks several times throughout the day to accommodate competing
clinical demands
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
Provide appropriate diet sheets / patient education material for ward
discharge and outpatient use.
Participate in departmental and multidisciplinary meetings where required
to ensure integrated dietetic care
Liaise with the Catering Department to ensure the correct provision of
meals for patients on therapeutic diets
Responsible for participating in the development of a dietetic resource
manual as required
Provide cover for annual leave sickness back holidays etc as required.
This may mean the post holder is the only member of the dietetic team in site.
Contribute to the development and application of service procedures and
guidelines for specialist area which impact on other disciplines with the wider
multidisciplinary specialist team e.g. gastrostomy care, home enteral feeding
policy
