Patient Care

Nutrition Assessment – the RDN solicits input as the dietetic technician:

• Completes and documents nutrition screening within 24 hours of inpatient admission according to facility/state/accreditation requirements.

• Using medical record and interview with patient/family collects food and nutrition intake information (e.g., current and previous diets, nutrition support, meal and snack patterns, medical food/nutritional supplements, typical foods and beverages, cultural and religious preferences, and food allergies and intolerances), and reviews for factors that affect health conditions and nutritional risk.

• Obtains medical, anthropometric, biochemical, and medical test data and compares to standards provided by the RDN.

• Documents nutrition-related data, patient/family interactions in electronic medical record, and food and nutrition documentation system according to procedure.

• Communicates results of nutrition screening, diet order, and data collection for nutrition assessment to RDN; and meal service-related data of immediate concern to diet office staff.

• Communicates with nursing or other staff as needed to obtain or clarify information to inform nutrition assessment to report to RDN.

Nutrition Intervention/Plan of Care

• Communicates with RDN about discussions with patient/family and observed changes in patient’s status that may influence the nutrition intervention/plan of care.

• Contributes to and implements nutrition intervention/plan of care developed by the RDN.

• Reviews plan of care with resident/family, nursing staff, addressing, or referring any concerns to the RDN as need.

• Provides nutrition education per plan of care to help patient voluntarily manage or modify food choices and eating behavior to maintain or improve health.

• Plans between-meal nourishments according to patient’s diet and food preferences.

Nutrition Monitoring and Evaluation – the RDN solicits input as the dietetic technician.

• Utilizes techniques that consider the varied needs of age-specific populations as well as cultural, religious, and ethnic concerns.

• Evaluates food and intake from all sources.

• Compares current data findings with previous status, intervention goals, and/or reference standards for evaluation of outcomes.

• Documents progress toward nutrition goals, factors/barriers impacting progress, change in patient’s/family’s level of understand and food-related behaviors, and relevant biochemical, anthropometric, meal intake data.

• Communicates with RDN regarding monitoring and evaluation activities, and with the RDN, modifies the plan of care as needed.

Communications

• Works cooperatively with patient food service staff to ensure conformance with diet order, patient preferences, and other applicable components of the nutrition prescription.

• Participates in supervised practice experiences for nutrition and dietetics students/interns, other disciplines when requested, and helps orient new patient food service employees.

Meals Services

• Conducts patient round to assess adequacy of nutrition intake and patient satisfaction with meals and meal service.

• Monitors and verifies changes in diet orders.

Infant Formula Preparation

• Verify faxed/printed order matches order in EPIC. Confirm any order changes with nursing and RDN prior to preparation.

• Prepare and distribute formulas through proper food safety and infection prevention handling procedures.

Compliance

• Demonstrates accountability for the proper use of patients’ protected health information by following regulatory requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1966.

• Assists in achieving compliance with the Joint Commission, Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP), or other accrediting agency standards to continuously improve the safety and quality of care to the public and to the organization’s performance improvement.

Business Functions

• Maintains productivity standards and practices effective time management and prioritizing of tasks.

• Uses department resources prudently.

Performance Improvement

• Participates in department’s and/or unit’s quality assurance and performance improvement activities.

• Contributes to collecting specific information to track process, outcome, and structure measures using quantifiable indicators to identify actual results of a program, service, or activity.

• Provides in-services for department staff assigned.

Education/Experience

Associate or bachelor’s degree in nutrition, dietetics, food service systems management, or related area, granted by an accredited college or university. Completion of dietetic technician program, or completion of required nutrition and dietetics coursework through a Didactic Program in Dietetics accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to qualify for credentialing.

Experience as a dietetic technician in an acute hospital or long-term care facility or as a diet clerk preferred.

Certification/Licensure

Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR) by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

ABOUT US

At Atlantic Health System, our promise to our communities is; Anyone who enters one of our facilities, will receive the highest quality care delivered at the right time, at the right place, and at the right cost. This commitment is also echoed in the respect, development and opportunities we give to our more than 20,000 team members. Headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, we are one of the leading non-profit health care systems in the nation. Our facilities and sites of care include:

• Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, NJ

• Overlook Medical Center, Summit, NJ

• Newton Medical Center, Newton, NJ

• Chilton Medical Center, Pompton Plains, NJ

• Hackettstown Medical Center, Hackettstown, NJ

• Goryeb Children's Hospital, Morristown, NJ

• CentraState Healthcare System, Freehold, NJ

• Atlantic Home Care and Hospice

• Atlantic Mobile Health

• Atlantic Rehabilitation

We also have more than 900 community-based healthcare providers affiliated through Atlantic Medical Group. Atlantic Accountable Care Organization is one of the largest ACOs in the nation, and we are a member of AllSpire Health Partners.

We have received awards and recognition for the services we have provided to our patients, team members and communities. Below are just a few of our accolades:

• 100 Best Companies to Work For ® and FORTUNE® magazine for 15 years

• Best Places to Work in Healthcare - Modern Healthcare

• 150 Top Places to work in Healthcare - Becker's Healthcare

• 100 Accountable Care Organizations to Know - Becker's Hospital Review

• Best Employers for Workers over 50 - AARP

• Gold-Level "Well Workplace": Wellness Council of America (WELCOA)

• One of the 100 Best Workplaces for “Millennials” Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE® magazine

• One of the 20 Best Workplaces in Health Care: Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE® magazine

• Official Health Care Partner of the New York Jets

• NJ Sustainable Business

Morristown Medical Center is a nationally-recognized leader in cardiology and heart surgery, orthopedics, gynecology, geriatrics, gastroenterology and GI surgery, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology.

We are the only hospital in New Jersey named one of America's '50 Best Hospitals' for six consecutive years by Healthgrades and one of the World's Best Hospitals by Newsweek. We were included on Becker's Healthcare 2020 list of "100 Great Hospitals in America". In addition, Leapfrog recognized us with an "A" hospital safety grade - its highest - twelve consecutive times, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded us again with its highest five-start rating in 2020.

Morristown Medical Center is a Magnet Hospital for Excellence in Nursing Service, the highest level of recognition achievable from the American Nurses Credentialing Center for facilities that provide acute care services. Our nonprofit hospital was also designated a Level I Regional Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons and a Level II by the State of NJ.

EEO STATEMENT

Atlantic Health System, Inc. is an equal employment opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor and therefore abides by applicable laws to protect applicants and employees from discrimination in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation), national origin, citizenship status, disability, age, genetics, or veteran status.