Dietitian (Clinical)

Description:

Employees in this assignment serve in a Dietitian (Clinical) entry level developmental position within the Clinical Section of NFS. They perform increasingly complex tasks as they acquire skills in clinical nutrition to apply evidenced-based nutrition practice guidelines. Dietitian providing HBPC coordinates nutritional care of Veterans with other health cares 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 :

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.) Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Registration.

1. All applicants must hold the RDN credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Note: Applicants who hold the RDN credential have met the education requirement (e.g. bachelor's degree or higher) of CDR, as such this occupation is considered professional and scientific with a positive education requirement and the procedures in Part I, Chapter 4 of this Handbook will be followed when applying Veteran's preference.
2. Exception for Dietitians who do not possess the RDN credential.

• Non-credentialed Dietitians who meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below, but do not possess the RDN credential, may be given a temporary full-time appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).
  • Non-credentialed Dietitians must have fulfilled each of the following:
    1. Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college, university or foreign equivalent (refer to ii below).
    2. Completed an ACEND® accredited experiential or supervised practice program and provide a verification statement from the program director that conveys eligibility to take the CDR registration exam as a prospective RDN. A list of ACEND® accredited programs is located on the ACEND® website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory.
  • Foreign Education. To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND® and meet ACEND®'s International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam.
• Non-credentialed Dietitians may only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 grade level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential.
• Non-credentialed Dietitians must provide care under the supervision of a RDN at or above the full performance level.
• Temporary appointments of non-credentialed Dietitian will not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment.
• English Language Proficiency. Dietitian candidates must be proficient in
  spoken and written English.

Grade Determinations : All individuals assigned to this occupation must meet all the basic qualification requirements defined in the specific assignment.

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-07.

1. Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-09.

(1) Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower
grade level.
OR
(2) Education. Master's degree from a regionally accredited university or
college.
(3) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements.
• Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care.
• Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation).
• Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes.
• Ability to develop patient-centered goals.
• Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies.
• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders.

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-11.

(1) Experience. At least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the
next lower grade.
(2) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities . In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation).
• Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes.
• Skill in developing patient-centered goals.
• Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies.
• Skill in collaborating with stakeholders.
• Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements: In accordance with VA Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service.