Dietitian (Advanced Level Practice)

Description:

Employees in this assignment serve as an Advanced Level Practice Dietitian within Nutrition and Food Service serving as the medical nutrition expert. They are autonomous in their work in applying evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines for all patients, including those with complex medical and nutritional needs. Clinical Dietitians coordinate nutritional care of Veterans with other health care providers, the Veteran, the Veteran's caregiver, and the community.

Requirements:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements :

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Dietitians must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Registered Dietitian (RD): Must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing branch of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics formerly known as the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

Current VHA Dietitians that qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision may not be promoted to a higher grade if they do not meet the current RDN/RD requirements.

Grade Determinations : Dietitian (Advanced Level Practice) , GS-12

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must also possess:

• An Advanced Practice Certification from a nationally recognized certifying body such as the Commission on Dietetic Registration, the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists or National Board of Nutrition Certification. The certification must be directly related to the assignment being filled. For example, where the assignment requires diabetes management a Board Certified-Advanced Diabetes Management (BC-ADM) or Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCES) certification are qualifying. Commonly held certifications include Board Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition (CSR); Board Certified Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition (CSG); Registered Dietitian Nutritionist-Advanced Practitioner (RDN-AP); Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC).
• At least 1 year of experience as an RDN/RD equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) which demonstrates the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
  • Skill in leading a team in the implementation of nutrition related activities.
  • Skill in utilizing evidenced based practice guidelines to establish or modify goals and improve patient outcomes.
  • Ability to communicate in writing to develop policies and standard operating procedures.
  • Ability to serve as a nutrition expert, providing technical guidance, direction, and staff development.
  • Ability to lead research or performance improvement studies.
  • Ability to present complex nutrition information to a large group of health care providers to persuade and influence provision of care.

Preferred Experience: At least one year of outpatient experience.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

Physical Requirements: The Dietitian position is primarily sedentary with long periods of sitting and may also require long periods of standing and walking and lifting light objects.