The registered dietitian (RD) performs clinical assessment of patients, designs nutrition care plan and intervention, develops meal plans for patients, develops enteral and parenteral regimens, establishes nutritional guidelines for patients and families.  This RD will work closely with the clinical nutrition team as well as the medical team.  

Assess patients’ nutritional status and develop/implement appropriate nutrition care plan, nutrition interventions. Implement medical nutrition therapy (MNT), document findings and recommendations. Reassess patient for changes in nutritional needs, document nutritional plan of care and monitor progress. Educate parent/caregiver to all aspects of MNT including but not exclusive of diet therapy.

Collaborate with the patient care team to ensure optimal patient care. Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team in discharge planning and performance improvement committees.

Dietitian Nutritionist typically -

1. provides nutritional and/or dietary counseling.
2. records nutritional and/or dietary care plan.
3. attends and participates in multi-disciplinary meetings to ensure quality nutritional and/or dietary care is carried out.
4. develops and evaluates materials to provide information reflective of current literature in order to reinforce dietary and/or nutritional recommendations.
5. keeps current on new concepts and developments in dietetics and nutritional therapy.
6. supervises clinical experiences and provides lectures for students.
7. orients, trains, supervises, and evaluates assigned staff.
8. in a patient care or hospital setting:
a. evaluates the nutritional status, feeding problems, and/or nutritional needs of patients
b. provides direct consultation and/or follow-up consultation regarding the maintenance of nutritional status and/or the improvement of feeding problems in order to enhance cooperation in following recommended regimen.
c. coordinates feasible nutritional care plans with food service.
9. performs other related duties as assigned.

Possession of current Registered Dietitian licensure from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations and credentials and registration from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

• Knowledge of clinical nutritional and diet therapy.
• Knowledge of basic food service operations.
• Knowledge of nutritional assessment methods used to maintain nutritional status of patients and to develop and implement nutritional care plans for patients.
• Knowledge of methods and techniques used to educate and instruct patients.
• Ability to learn university and departmental policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• Ability to learn departmental standards of nutritional care.
• Ability to supervise support staff.
• Ability to teach, supervise, and evaluate students.