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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

CLINICAL

Be professionally and legally accountable for own work and caseload.

Work as an integral member of the multidisciplinary team to ensure a holistic approach to patient care.

This involves attending ward rounds, case conferences and regular team meetings.

Organise own workload: prioritising and balancing patient-related and professional demands and contributing to the effectiveness of the team.

To judge and determine the appropriateness of referrals made by members of the multidisciplinary team in order to ensure effective use of time and resources.

Assess patient’s diagnosis, medical care and biochemistry making decisions as to who needs dietary management.

Obtain and analyse relevant information from different sources including: clinicians’ medical notes, nursing notes, electronic patient records, the client, ward staff and/or carer’s, in order to make a comprehensive assessment of the patients condition, prognosis and treatment plans so that a decision on the most appropriate dietetic treatment to support this can be made in the short and long term.

Interpret and monitor biochemical data.

Calculate nutritional requirements using specific assessment tools and calculations. To remain up to date with the literature and ensure that this is an evidence based process and clinically relevant to the critically ill and surgical patient groups.

Advise on appropriate artificial feeding routes for patients both via the enteral and parenteral routes.

Formulate individualised patient care plans, artificial feeding regimens and parenteral nutrition prescriptions, taking into consideration factors which may affect requirements or help/hinder provision of nutrition support such as: prescribed drugs, biochemical derangements etc. Within the care plan this would include nutritional supplements, specialist feeds, need for added micronutrients.

Evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional goals and modify these goals and care plans as necessary based on ongoing analysis, assessment of information available and changing patient needs. Use communication techniques i.e. behavioural change and motivational interviewing to work with the patient. Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, carers and other health professionals. Skills of persuasion, motivation, explanation and gaining consent may be used in a wide variety of different, sometimes sensitive, situations. It is important to be able to communicate complex information at an appropriate level. Barriers to communication may be evident e.g. loss of sight, loss of hearing, lack of English, both written and spoken, requiring the use of translators. To be sensitive to the religious and ethnic needs of patients' dietary requirements and have an understanding of foods eaten by multicultural populations and how they impact on hospital catering. Liaise and advise catering staff for meal and snack provision appropriate for your patient group within the constraints of the cook chill system. This can involve multicultural requirements and/or other dietary needs for example, gluten free. To be actively involved with the development of evidence based, trust-wide guidelines - to be a resource to other dietitians, writing and compiling diet sheets, protocols and advice. To cover for other dietitians when sickness or leave necessitates. To be an active member of the bank holiday on-call service Any other duties that may from time to time be allocated by the Team Leader and Acute Dietetic Service Manager.

PROFESSIONAL

Be accountable for own actions within the professional, ethical and legal framework for dietetics set out in the Health Profession Councils code of practice for Dietitians and the British Dietetic Associations professional standards for Dietitians. To take responsibility for own continuing professional development and providing evidence for this by maintaining a CPD portfolio. CPD involves critical evaluation of scientific papers, attending professional development meetings, working as a reflective practitioner and attending relevant internal/external courses. Participate in annual appraisal, identifying own developmental and training needs and setting personal developmental objectives. To participate in departmental audits and initiate audit within own work area in order to monitor and evaluate whether local/national/international standards are being met and make recommendations for change. To be involved with the planning of departmental clinical effectiveness and audit strategies. Be involved with the dietetic student training program, facilitating the development of skills and knowledge, being involved in the assessment process and acting as a mentor. To provide specialist advice, teaching and training to all members of the multidisciplinary team, regarding the nutritional management of patients. This involves participation in in-house training courses e.g. new staff nurses orientation program and advanced nursing courses. Also to participate in external training/teaching when requested. Mentor and train qualified dietitians on rotations to further their experiences and understanding of critical care and surgical dietetics. To have a detailed understanding of medical conditions/drugs and nutritional implications.

To demonstrate risk management skills and a sound understanding of clinical governance and apply to the work situation. ORGANISATIONAL To determine priorities for own work area based on clinical need and balance patient caseload with professional demands. To collect data as required by the department, trust and outside agencies. To maintain accurate and up to date documentation of patient interventions. To communicate dietetic interventions to appropriate members of the multidisciplinary team by documentation within electronic nursing/medical notes or by means of generating a letter/report. To be involved with setting agenda items, chairing and taking minutes for departmental and clinical team meetings, when required.