At Houston Methodist, the Lead Clinical Dietitian position is responsible for functioning as an advanced clinician per the requirements established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) with progressive leadership abilities. In addition to fulfilling the duties of a clinical Sr Dietitian, primary responsibilities for this position include leading department and quality improvement projects, assuming leadership responsibilities within the dietician team with high level medical nutrition therapy at the patient bedside, unit, service line and across the organization, planning and implementing professional nutrition presentations. The Lead Clinical Dietitian position serves as the liaison between management, staff and physicians for routine matters as the primary point of contact for resolving questions and issues for dietitians as well as support staff, resulting in the delivery of exceptional patient care and adherence to standards of practice for optimal patient safety, quality outcomes, and customer service. This position provides mentorship and guidance to department staff in areas of clinical and professional practice.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Role models to team members effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills, assisting in their development of such skills. Collaborates with management and all members of the inter-professional care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner. Corresponds with other health care professionals regarding client's nutrition care plan, as necessary.

• Assists Clinical Nutrition Manager as a department lead for registered dietitian (RD) staff. Independently and expertly serves as the department primary resource for staff for all nutrition inquiries and provide counseling while upholding Houston Methodist and industry standards of ethics. Coordinates new hire training activities and schedule.

• Leads and initiates problem resolution within the work unit. Role-models skills, through peer-to-peer accountability, to optimize improvement of department score for employee engagement.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Executes above average clinical and critical thinking skills in assessing the nutrition status of clients and/or patients. Uses therapeutic communication, which includes active listening and teaching, to establish a relationship with patients, families and inter-professional health care team to collaborate on the plan of care. Consistently evaluates the patient's comprehension and adapts teaching methods accordingly.

• Proactively identifies needs for adjustment/intervention for optimum patient care and experience. Monitors and adjusts activities of the assigned team to ensure optimum patient throughput and patient experience. Advocates on patient/family's behalf to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns, utilizing appropriate resources.

• Serves as liaison between team members, management and physicians, resolving routine matters. Initiates improvements towards department score for patient satisfaction, through peer-to-peer accountability to service standards.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Proactively recognize issues in advance and determine a plan of action for controlling, maintaining situation, or eliminating problem. Formulates clear decision criteria; evaluates options by considering implications and consequences; chooses an effective option.

• Self-initiates cross-coverage assistance to ensure continuity of care. Provides care to increasingly complex patients, coordinates care with the inter-professional team. Utilizes sound clinical judgment, using an evidence-based analytical approach to ensure patient nutrition needs are met.

• Conducts quality audits on processes, outcomes and team member performance. Calculates and analyzes outcome metrics. Identifies opportunities for corrective action and process improvement with research-based evidence to achieve patient safety outcomes, supported by accurate documentation, providing recommendations. Completes quality indicators to meeting department and hospital targets for quality and safety.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Positively impacts quality and cost outcomes by assuring optimal medical nutrition therapy to minimize potential complications related to alterations of nutrition status. Contributes towards meeting department financial targets through adjusting nutrition care plan to provide the most appropriate and cost-effective therapy, optimizing efficiency and other areas according to department specifications.

• Completes activity/productivity and other reports on timely basis. Provides leadership to team members on effective and efficient utilization of time. Uses downtime efficiently, aware of team members' workload, consistently offers assistance, and responds positively to requests for assistance from other team members.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies innovative ways to shorten hospital length of stay and to minimize rates of readmission services based upon outcomes and evidence-based medicine /research.

• Leads the change and performance improvement initiative. Leads in a minimum of one department committee, task force and/or work group. Participate in a minimum of one hospital committee and facilitates the accomplishment of the goals of the committee.

• Seeks opportunities to identify self-development needs and takes appropriate action. Reads and communicates evidence-based practice literature in nutrition and wellness and related disciplines. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Master's degree in dietetics, food science, nutrition, institutional management, or related field

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Five years hospital direct patient care experience as a Registered Dietitian; may consider HM employee with four years hospital direct patient care dietitian experience of which three years is as a HM Clinical Dietitian with demonstrated progressive leadership abilities

• Three years of clinical nutrition in a large, teaching hospital preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• RD - Registered Dietician (CDR) -- the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics AND
• LD - License Dietitian, State Licensure -- by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation AND
• CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator Certification (CBDCE) within 6 months OR
• CSR - Certified Specialist Renal Nutrition (CDR) within 6 months OR
• CNSC - Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (NBNSC) within 6 months OR
• CCTD - Clinical Transplant Dietitian (NATCO) within 6 months OR
• other equivalent specialty board certification within 6 months

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - PREFERRED

• BLS - Basic Life Support (AHA)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Strong knowledge of local City Food Ordinance guidelines and Health department standards

• Function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional care team and patients and their families

• Possesses comprehensive computer knowledge including Microsoft products

• Exhibits strong interpersonal, teamwork and leadership skills with all levels of the healthcare team and assures delivery of excellent customer service to all patients, visitors, physicians and co-workers

• Adapts to multiple ongoing priorities with minimal supervision including, organizing work flow and actively participating in problem-solving

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) Yes

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2025, will be Houston Methodist's ninth hospital and will incorporate the most advanced technology available from the day the doors open. With 100 beds (at our opening; licensed for 276) and a prime location in the heart of the rapidly growing U.S. 290 corridor, the hospital will be equipped with technologically advanced innovations implemented during COVID, many of them designed to make patient communication with physicians, staff and families the very best and most effective in any health care facility. Even though the hospital won't be fully operational until 2025, we have several services and specialties opening in 2024.