Community Culinary Dietitian

POSITION SUMMARY:

In 2021 BMC launched the “Health Equity Accelerator” with the purpose of ‘transforming healthcare to deliver health justice and well-being’. The Accelerator, in partnership with Population Health and the BMC Demo Kitchen, is developing an innovative multi-disciplinary approach that combines clinical operations, community engagement, health-related social needs programs to address racial health inequities.  

Under the guidance of the Director of Nutrition Innovation and Implementation, the Community Culinary Dietitian develops and coordinates medical nutrition therapy, group visits, and tailored educational activities for patients with complex nutritional needs. This role supports the treatment of acute and chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. The dietitian assesses each patient’s status and needs and adapts dietary interventions to consider nutritional status, social and environmental barriers, and cultural diversity while using evidence-based counseling approaches. 

Through culinary nutrition, the dietitian co-leads engaging group visits alongside a nurse practitioner, and social worker, in partnership with patient navigators, and community health workers, which may include hands-on cooking and contribute expertise to the food prescription program. 

As part of a collaborative team of dietitians in the Teaching Kitchen, the dietitian travels to community partner locations in the Greater Boston Area to build relationships and expand access to culinary and nutrition resources. As an expert professional, the Community Culinary Dietician is responsible and accountable for providing high quality and equitable care to patients in this program. The role requires strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and a commitment to advancing health equity.

Position: Community Culinary Dietitian         

Department: MGB Diabetes Initiative

Schedule: Full Time

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Clinical Knowledge & Skills

• Strong knowledge of food and nutrition, with ability to perform nutrition assessment, formulate nutrition plans, and provide nutrition counseling and education to adult patients on a referral basis and follow-up counseling to patients requiring long term nutritional intervention. Assesses nutritional status based on laboratory values, medical and nutritional history and medical/surgical condition; develops nutritional care plans based on this information in accordance with accepted (AND) standards of practice and written department protocols.

• Provides nutrition education and engages patients in behavior modification skills in individual and group settings.

• Demonstrates formal or life skills training around food handling and preparation and uses hands-on culinary nutrition to enhance nutrition education in one-on-one and group settings.

• Participates in the planning and implementation of food prescription programing, helping oversee the nutritional content of induvial foods and meals.

• Maintains records and provides periodic reports to referring and other care providers as needed.

• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide MNT appropriate for multitude of conditions (with a particular interest in cardiometabolic conditions) demonstrating familiarity and willingness to actively work towards developing competency over variety of dietary interventions.

• Attends all clinical meetings, rounds, or committees to present nutrition care plans as needed

• Assists in patient and clinician outreach through lectures, community events, and other marketing opportunities as needed. Assists in patient orientations and support groups as requested. 

• Co-leads community-based group visits and/or shared medical appointments focused on lifestyle modification, self-management, and nutrition along with other multidisciplinary team members (e.g., nurse practitioner, licensed independent social worker, navigator)

• Partners with the community health worker to ensure timely engagement and navigation of patient’s health related social needs around food and nutrition security

Leadership:

• Provides in-service education in nutrition to hospital personnel such as MD’s, residents, students, nurses, dietary personnel.

• Acts as a preceptor in the education/training of dietetic interns and medical students from universities and hospitals; assigns work to students as appropriate, supervises the student’s practical experience such as individual counseling and group teaching by students; develops Learning Activities. 

•  Assists with interviewing new prospective dietitians and participating in the training/onboarding processes for new employees as needed

• Strengthens existing and fosters new community partnerships to improve care access in the Greater Boston area. 

Program Development/Research:

• Compiles and develops educational materials for use in individual and group classes.

• Participates in proposing and developing policies and procedures, Continuous Quality Improvement, monitors, guidelines and standards of care, records and calculates results on clinical projects. Takes proactive role in monitoring patient retention, and coordinates work to achieve maximum productivity.

• Participates in department clinical research as it relates to nutrition care by providing necessary nutrition education and monitoring

• Develops strategies resulting in growth of the program. Works closely with Teaching Kitchen and Population Health teams to develop and implement nutrition programs

All other duties as assigned. As this is a developing program, there is an opportunity for scope expansion in partnership with the program team.

Behavioral Knowledge and Skills

• Multilingual skills in languages appropriate to the patient populations served by the medical center preferred (Spanish or Haitian Creole).

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to work independently and organize workload within daily time constraints

• Strong interpersonal skills, must work effectively, professionally, and confidently with a diverse group of patients and healthcare providers

• Performs as reliable and productive staff member within the standards set by the Teaching Kitchen; works well as an interdisciplinary team member, projecting a positive supportive attitude to patients, physicians and staff

• Adheres to departmental and clinical policies and procedures. Consults with appropriate personnel concerning managerial or patient issues

• Demonstrates flexibility in workflows, performing duties of other staff members when requested within scope of practice, and accommodating patient needs

• Utilizes hospital’s behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to support the hospital’s mission and goals and follow established hospital safety procedures.

• Strong interest in social determinants of health and advancing racial health equity.

• Self-motivated individual with the ability to make independent decisions in the best interest of the patient and population serve.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• BS in Nutrition, Dietetics, or related subject required.  Master’s degree preferred.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

• Must be registered by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

• Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist in Massachusetts or able to obtain within 30 days of hire.

• Must be ServSafe certified

EXPERIENCE:

• Must have completed internship as prescribed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

• Training and/or experience with food service preferred.

• Experience as a clinical dietitian in an outpatient setting preferred.

• Experience working in weight loss, ESRD/CKD preferred

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans