Registered Dietitian (Safety)
California State Personnel Board Specification
Definition
Under direction, the Registered Dietitian provides medical nutrition therapy to forensic clients or patients in a State facility; participates as a member of the interdisciplinary team; and performs other related work.
Distinguishing Characteristics
This class is distinguished from the Registered Dietitian by the custody requirements imposed by the criminal nature of the forensic client or patient, and the security features of the facility.
Typical Tasks
Completes nutrition assessments; assists and advises clinical personnel on special nutrition needs; plans dietary intervention and strategies; attends interdisciplinary team conferences; monitors and documents nutritional needs and goals; may accept or transmit verbal or electronically transmitted orders from physicians consistent with an established protocol to implement medical nutrition therapy; orders medical laboratory tests related to medical nutrition therapy within established protocols; interprets prescription diets; plans regular and special therapeutic diets; establishes menus and recipes for use by food production personnel; authorizes substitution or modification of diets; assists in the selection of dietary staff; plans and conducts training programs for facility staff, clients, patients, and others; and adheres to food safety and infection control standards.
May participate in committees relating to nutrition, food service, bioethics, performance improvement/quality assurance, and other issues; reviews the professional work of dietetic interns, Pre-Registered Dietitians, Dietetic Technicians, and up to two Dietetic Technicians, Registered; and complies with relevant legal and professional requirements.
Applies strategies for the prevention and management of assaultive behavior; promotes a safe and secure work environment through effective communication; maintains professional client or patient staff relationship; and identifies safety/security hazards and contraband control.
Assists staff in the counting, distribution, and accounting for all utensils to prevent their use as weapons; inspecting facility to identify security breaches that could lead to forensic client or patient escape; and observing and intervening in forensic client or patient behavior that may signal an impending escape attempt.
Minimum Qualifications
Registered Dietitian with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association. (Applicants with proof of eligibility to apply for registration will be admitted to the examination but must become registered to be eligible for appointment.)
Knowledge and Abilities
Knowledge of: Principles, practices, and theories of nutrition and dietetics including medical nutrition therapy; methods of planning, preparing, and serving food to a large number of persons; and the special dietary requirements of developmentally or mentally disordered forensic clients or patients, pediatric and geriatric populations, and other client or patient groups.
Ability to: Apply the principles and practices of nutrition and dietetics, including medical nutrition therapy; assess nutrition status and develop nutrition care plans; communicate nutrition concerns and recommendations with the interdisciplinary team; provide effective nutrition education and training; and analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.
Special Personal Characteristics
Willingness to work at State facilities with forensic clients or patients; willingness to work respectfully and courteously with forensic clients or patients; objective understanding of the problems of forensic clients or patients; tact; patience; emotional stability; adaptable; flexible; able to work well independently; and able to work cooperatively within a team.
Special Physical Characteristics
Incumbents must possess and maintain sufficient strength, agility, and endurance to perform during physically, mentally, and emotionally stressful and emergency situations encountered on the job without endangering their own health and well-being or that of their fellow employees, the forensic clients or patients, or the general public.
