Dietitian (Clinical)

Summary

The Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System is hiring two Clinical Dietitians, one in Muskogee and one in Tulsa. Working within the Clinical Section of Nutrition and Food Services, dietitians apply evidence-based nutrition practices, coordinate Veteran care with health care providers, caregivers, and community partners, develop patient-centered goals, interpret research, and collaborate to enhance dining experiences, patient satisfaction, and outcomes.

Duties

Conducts comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP), including nutrition-focused physical examinations, to establish nutrition diagnoses and determine the risk and degree of malnutrition. Develops, implements, monitors, and evaluates Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) interventions; modifies nutrition care plans as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes. Calculates nutrient requirements and determines individualized diet prescriptions, restrictions, and potential food-drug interactions. Identifies patients requiring nutrition support, recommends the appropriate mode of support, and communicates recommendations to the health care team. Documents nutrition care in the medical record using the Assessment, Diagnosis, Intervention, Monitoring, and Evaluation (ADIME) format; completes care plans, Minimum Data Set (MDS) documentation, and patient encounters within established time frames. Provides individualized and group nutrition education and counseling based on the educational needs and goals of Veterans. Actively participates in formal and informal interdisciplinary team meetings and collaborates with clinical units, department leadership, and the Food Operations Section to support quality care, patient satisfaction, and an enhanced dining experience. Uses virtual care technology and manages clinic grids to maximize access to nutrition services through both virtual and face-to-face modalities. Maintains productivity standards, accurate records of daily clinical activities, and independent, timely documentation using approved systems. Participates in service-level strategic planning and implements new initiatives, policies, procedures, and goals. Supports continuous performance improvement and quality and safety activities, including developing measures, collecting and evaluating data, and initiating corrective actions. Complies with The Joint Commission and other accrediting agency requirements to promote safe, high-quality patient care. Performs other related duties as assigned that are appropriate to the grade and assignment. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, with various tours, including 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Situational (Ad-hoc) as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 99529S, 99530S, 99531S Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications

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 be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). 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. ii 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. GRADE DETERMINATIONS. All individuals assigned to this occupation must meet all the basic qualification requirements in paragraph 3 a-f and all the requirements defined in the specific assignment. Dietitian (Clinical), GS-11. (1) Experience. At least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-9). (2) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). (b) Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. (c) Skill in developing patient-centered goals. (d) Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies. (e) Skill in collaborating with stakeholders. (f) 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/. This vacancy is at full performance level. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred based on Veterans' Preference. Other Information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.