Registered Dietitian
California State Personnel Board Specification
Definition
Under direction, the Registered Dietitian provides medical nutrition therapy to clients or patients in a State facility; participates as a member of the interdisciplinary team; and performs other related work.
Typical Tasks
Completes nutrition assessments; assists and advises clinical personnel on special nutrition needs; plans dietary intervention and strategies; attends interdisciplinary team conferences; monitors and documents nutritional needs and goals; may accept or transmit verbal or electronically transmitted orders from physicians consistent with an established protocol to implement medical nutrition therapy; orders medical laboratory tests related to medical nutrition therapy within established protocols; interprets prescription diets; plans regular and special therapeutic diets; establishes menus and recipes for use by food production personnel; authorizes substitution or modification of diets; assists in the selection of dietary staff; plans and conducts training programs for facility staff, clients, patients, and others; and adheres to food safety and infection control standards.
May participate in committees relating to nutrition, food service, bioethics, performance improvement/quality assurance, and other issues; reviews the professional work of dietetic interns, Pre-Registered Dietitians, Dietetic Technicians, and up to two Dietetic Technicians, Registered; and complies with relevant legal and professional requirements.
Minimum Qualifications
Registered Dietitian with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association. (Applicants with proof of eligibility to apply for registration will be admitted to the examination but must become registered to be eligible for appointment.)
Knowledge and Abilities
Knowledge of: Principles, practices, and theories of nutrition and dietetics, including medical nutrition therapy; methods of planning, preparing, and serving food to a large number of persons; and the special dietary requirements of mentally or developmentally disabled persons, patients, pediatric and geriatric populations, and other client or patient groups.
Ability to: Apply the principles and practices of nutrition and dietetics, including medical nutrition therapy; assess nutrition status and develop nutrition care plans; communicate nutrition concerns and recommendations with the interdisciplinary team; and analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.
Special Personal Characteristics
Sympathetic understanding of and willingness to work with the client or patient population of a State institution; possess good personal hygiene; flexible; able to work well independently; able to work cooperatively within a team; and freedom from communicable diseases.
