City and County of San Francisco

Under supervision of the Chief Dietitian, the Dietetic Technician performs specialized paraprofessional clinical duties in a hospital nutrition program. The essential functions of the job include: assisting the Dietitian with clinical nutrition care for patients/residents and their families; collecting basic nutritionally relevant data to identify patients/residents preliminary nutritional risk level and appropriate triage of nutrition information; assisting Dietitian in providing nutrition education and counseling for patients/residents and their families; collecting pertinent clinical data from patient/resident medical records; collecting and implementing food and nutrition preferences; retrieving and assessing patient/resident nutritional information from hospital computer.

 

The Dietetic Technician provides paraprofessional clinical assistance to the 2624 Dietitian. It is distinguished from the 2624 Dietitian, in that the latter, as a health care professional, registered with the American Dietetic Association as a Registered Dietitian, assesses patient/resident nutritional status, and plans and implements nutritional care plans and interventions. It is distinguished from the 2606 Senior Food Service Worker, in that the latter performs the more difficult food service worker duties relative to the distribution and preparation of food such as acting as Team Leader to a group of class 2604 Food Service Workers or acting as Diet Clerk and performing specialized clerical diet office duties related to patient/resident diets. It is distinguished from the class 2618 Food Service Supervisor, in that the latter supervises incumbents in classes 2606 Senior Food Service Worker and 2604 Food Service Worker.

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According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

1. Assists Dietitian in collecting basic nutritionally relevant patient/resident data to perform nutritional screening and preliminary nutritional risk evaluation; interviews patients/residents to obtain food preferences, diet history, and related information; discusses patient/resident needs with the health care team; in an acute care setting, determines whether the patient/resident may require a nutritional assessment which is performed by a Registered Dietitian; in a skilled nursing setting, determines the immediacy/urgency of a nutritional assessment, care plan, and intervention that is performed by a Registered Dietitian.
2. Assists Dietitian in providing nutritional education for patient/resident and their families involving principles of special therapeutic diets; reviews current dietary practices of patient/resident and their families; evaluates patient/resident understanding and expected level of compliance; makes recommendations for follow up education.
3. Collects pertinent clinical data from patient/resident medical records in order to accurately identify current nutrition problems; utilizes approved, institution specific documentation standards to chart pertinent nutritional information into patient/resident medical record.
4. Assists Dietitian in performing nutritional analysis; calculates and analyzes patient/resident food and fluid intake, weight records, menu patterns, and enteral nutrition formula orders.
5. Assists Dietitian in implementing patient/resident nutritional preferences and monitor care plans; retrieves clinical information; generates reports and performs other duties utilizing computerized systems.
6. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of: basic principles of nutrition, therapeutic diets, food safety and sanitation; operations of an institutional food service; record keeping; interviewing and counseling techniques; nutritional needs of all ages; state and federal regulations related to nutritional care in a health care institution; medical terminology; clinical nutrition terminology; nutrient composition; principles of patient/resident confidentiality; relevant computer systems; applied clinical nutrition with respect to medical/chronic conditions including, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and the aging process.

Ability and Skill to: communicate and interact effectively with patients/residents, family and staff; incorporate knowledge of nutrition and metabolism into individualized nutrition care; perform accurate mathematical calculations; utilize a computer and generate reports.

 

These minimum qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification.  Please note, additional qualifications (i.e., special conditions) may apply to a particular position and will be stated on the exam/job announcement.

Education:

 

Experience:

 

License and Certification:

Possession of a credential as a Registered Dietetic Technician approved by the American Dietetic Association.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

ORIGINATION DATE: 11/22/99

AMENDED DATE: 11/04/15

REASON FOR AMENDMENT: To accurately reflect the current tasks, knowledge, skills and abilities defined in the most recent job analysis conducted for this job code.

BUSINESS UNIT(S): COMMN

All City and County of San Francisco employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the City requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.