Registered Dietitian Dialysis - Toronto, Canada - Providence Health Care

Description

Registered Dietitian Dialysis (Job ID: 4331)

The role of the Hemodialysis Registered Dietitian (RD) is to provide evidence-based, high quality, specialized nutrition care unique to individuals as part of their medical treatment to improve or maintain health. This includes:

Conduct comprehensive nutritional assessments for hemodialysis patients, considering their medical history, dietary habits, laboratory values, and treatment modalities.
- Develop individualized nutrition care plans based on patient needs, including energy, protein, fluid, and micronutrient requirements.

To provide treatment, support, consultation and education to patients, family members/caregivers, external agencies and staff with respect to all aspects of nutrition care.

The Hemodialysis Registered Dietitian (RD) is a self-regulated health professional who:
-Uses appropriate tools and methods to gather relevant objective and subjective information related to the factors that support screening, assessing patients for nutritional risk and the need for nutrition intervention.
-Collaborates with the patient, their family, and the interprofessional team to make recommendations for appropriate interventions, service frequency, service duration, and monitoring
-Delivers care based on evidence and relevant best-practices
-Supervises additional roles as relevant (e.g. RD with Temporary Registration status)
-Supports the organization¿s academic mandate by participating in student learning through supervision, evaluation, teaching etc.
-Contributes to intraprofessional and interprofessional education for internal and/or external stakeholders
-Participates in clinical program development, research, and quality assurance activities

Responsibilities & Activities

-Clinical Screening and Assessment for ambulatory hemodialysis and dialysis inpatients
-Screens relevant patient information to determine need for Renal RD assessment and intervention.
-Completes full assessment for all new hemodialysis patients and inpatient dialysis patients, as required.
-With informed consent, completes clinical assessment of patient¿s nutritional status and needs, utilizing information from the patient record, the interprofessional team, patient and/or caregiver interview, physical assessment, review of objective data (weight, height, weight history, biochemical data, medications, past medical history, etc.);
-Analyzes and interprets assessment results to identify specific problems and collaborates with MRP/team to implement appropriate medical nutrition therapy.
-Contacts primary RDs for transfer of accountability for patients from external organizations.

Intervention

-Formulates a culturally appropriate, individualized evidence-based Nutrition Care Plan (NCP), taking patient needs, goals and preferences into account.
-Inpatient interventions/NCP for acutely ill dialysis patients may include/address oral food, therapeutic diets, oral nutrition supplements, dietary texture modification, initiation/progression/alteration/discontinuation of enteral nutrition or total parental nutrition (TPN), the supplementation or restriction of energy, macronutrients, fluids, electrolytes, and vitamins or minerals.
-Provides thorough renal nutrition education to newly initiated hemodialysis patients, family members/caregivers and available to respond to questions and concerns.
-Re-assesses and evaluates the effectiveness of the NCP based on biochemical and anthropometric parameters, and patient¿s response to the intervention. Monitors patient progress toward goal attainment and/or the need for changes in service provision.
-Review ambulatory hemodialysis monthly bloodwork and physical assessment trends to assess electrolytes, nutritional and fluid status. Prioritize and provide education, encouragement and support to patients to achieve optimal nutritional status and management of serum electrolytes.
-Provides care-related education to patients and their families using effective teaching strategies that take into account the patient and their family¿s learning needs, readiness and motivation to learn. Care-related education may include, diet texture modification, chronic disease management, food security, use of supplements and other areas to facilitate and enhance the quality of life of renal patients.
-Review and interpret oral intake of therapeutic diet, delivery of enteral feeding as needed, biochemical data, physical assessment, medical status, hydration status, patient psychosocial status and motivation using patient chart, interviewing patient and caregiver, and consulting interprofessional team, to evaluate the effectiveness of the NCP.

Discharge and Transition Planning

-Plans and coordinates an appropriate discharge and/or transition in collaboration with other relevant interdisciplinary team members. Determines discharge from renal RD services when further intervention no longer needed.
-Advocates for an appropriate discharge and/or transition plan based on identified patient care needs and goals
-Collaborates with Transition Planners to facilitates outpatient therapy and/or community resources (e.g. funding sources) to meet patient needs and/or goals following discharge and/or transition as appropriate
-Contacts facilities (e.g., LTC, CCC, nursing homes) and/or services directly to facilitate discharge and/or transition as appropriate

Communication/Documentation

-Documents according to profession and hospital standards
-Works with Diet Office/Diet Techs around inpatient care tasks such as, but not limited to, food preferences, customization of therapeutic diet orders, calorie counts, and menu marking.
-Collaborates with patients, families, and the interprofessional team to support a patient and family-centred plan of care and discharge plan. Plans follow up for dialysis patients discharged to outpatient hemodialysis, or provides transfer of accountability to outpatient home dialysis, to ensure seamless transfer of care.
-Provides transfer of accountability to ensure continuity of patient and family-centred treatment during coverage of weekends, lieu time, vacation, illness and/or education days
-Organizes workload based on RD Priority Matrix and other interprofessional team members¿ needs
-Works with Transition Planners to complete of applications to external organizations when needed.
-Participates in case and family conferences as appropriate

Qualifications:
Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Nutrition (or equivalent);
-Registration with College of Dietitians of Ontario (CDO)
-current BLS certification
-Knowledge, skills and judgement to safely complete the job requirements
-Strong oral and written communication skills
-Strong organizational and time management skills
-Must be able to work co-operatively and constructively with other interprofessional team members;
-Demonstrated flexibility in provision of patient care

As a condition of employment, all external hires will be required to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination or documentation unless a valid accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code exists. Please note, if you are extended an offer of employment, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination in Ontario QR Code.