Clinical Dietetic Tech

Duties The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers.
This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest.
As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran.
This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community.
This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
Opening Date: October 27, 2023 Closing Date: December 26, 2023 First Cut-Off Date: November 10, 2023 NOTE: This is an Open Continuous Announcement.
Qualified candidates will be referred as vacancies occur.
Eligible applications received after November 10, 2023 will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.
Final application disposition will be completed at the end of the open period stated in the announcement.
In addition, due to the potential of a high volume of applicants, not all applicants may receive consideration.
Major duties and responsibilities will include but are not limited to: Works collaboratively with the Clinical Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
Obtains, verifies, and interprets data needed to identify nutrition-related problems, their causes, and their significance.
Uses data obtained from the nutrition assessment to identify the chief nutrition problem, its etiology, and the signs and symptoms to support the diagnosis.
Develops and implementing the clinical nutrition care plan to address and manage the nutrition diagnosis.
Communicates, monitors, and documents (in the medical record) the response to nutrition therapy in accordance with regulatory standards.
Provides nutrition care to inpatients and outpatients, which may include completing nutrition screens as well as working with the Registered Dietitian (RD) to develop and carry out nutrition interventions and plans.
Writes learning objectives, lesson outlines and evaluation procedures for assigned group classes to provide written, structured guidelines for in-class presentation.
May act as clinical preceptor to dietetic students within affiliated programs.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Position Description Title/PD#: Clinical Dietetic Tech/PD99792S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Physical Requirements: The work requires walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, such as meal trays, instruction material, books and manuals.
Some of the work is sedentary, such as computer activities.
Computer entry of electronic progress notes, entailing multiple episodes of keyboard strokes is a daily responsibility.
It may be necessary to push electronic equipment and arrange classroom areas in preparation of classes.
Work is performed in a hospital, requiring normal safety precautions typical of a Medical Center with critically ill Veterans, psychiatric, Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center, Domiciliary and/or Ambulatory Care Units, and involves some exposure to contagious disease.
You must observe normal safety precautions while working in an office setting with electrical and stationary equipment and use correct lifting techniques.
Discomfort may exist due to ventilating system and/or humidity changes in various offices.
Universal Blood / Body fluid precautions may necessitate protective equipment be work in situations of potential exposure.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.
Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.
201) for this occupation.
Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.
S.
citizen to apply for this job Subject to a background/suitability investigation Designated and/or random drug testing may be required May serve a probationary period Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: To meet the basic education requirement, all applicants must have successfully completed a course of study in an accredited college leading to an associate's degree in Dietetic Technology or Nutrition with an emphasis in Nutrition Care or the equivalent post-secondary education.
Education must have included instruction in nutrition care/diet therapy, the natural sciences (e.
g.
anatomy, physiology, biochemistry), social sciences (e.
g.
psychology, sociology), food sciences, medical terminology, communications, and education.
In addition, education must have included supervised field experience in a hospital or similar clinical setting.
Note: Copies of pertinent transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application.
Education will not be credited without documentation .
~AND~ ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.
S.
C.
7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.
~AND~ MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: In addition to meeting the basic education requirement and English proficiency, to qualify for this position, you must meet one of the following: GS-05 Grade Level: You must possess at least six (6) months of progressively responsible specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-4) in the field of clinical dietetic technology which demonstrate successful use of the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics: Knowledge of human nutrition requirements in health and disease - Ability to gather data from the medical record and document information pertinent to nutritional care - Ability to monitor and influence the patient's nutritional intake - Ability to provide nutrition education for selected groups of patients - Skill in patient interviewing and nutrition counseling - Ability to interact and communicate orally with people from a variety of backgrounds, and - Ability to function effectively in a support position within a Clinical Dietetic section of a general medical and surgical and/or psychiatric hospital.
This experience is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.
Specialized experience includes but is not limited to: Performing nutrition screening, assessing meal intakes and adjusting meal plans as appropriate; Providing nutrition education; Communicating with patients and other health care team members regarding patients' nutritional needs; Using nutrition technology applications; and Assessing the effectiveness of nutrition care plans, documenting care plans using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) guidelines.
OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level.
Musthave successfully completed a full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with a major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to this position (i.
e.
nutrition, dietary therapy, food and nutrition science, food service systems management, etc.
).
This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite.
NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials.
Education cannot be credited without documentation.
OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level.
Must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as listed above.
The education portion must include courses directly related to the work of the position (i.
e.
nutrition, dietary therapy, food and nutrition science, food service systems management, etc.
).
This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.
NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required.
To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned).
Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess.
Add the two percentages.
The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05.
For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.
e.
50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.
e.
50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
GS-06 grade level: You must possess at least one (1) year of progressively responsible specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-5) in the field of clinical dietetic technology which demonstrate successful use of the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics: Knowledge of human nutrition requirements in health and disease; Ability to gather data from the medical record and document information pertinent to nutritional care; Ability to monitor and influence the patient's nutritional intake; Ability to provide nutrition education for selected groups of patients; Skill in patient interviewing and nutrition counseling; Ability to interact and communicate orally with people from a variety of backgrounds, and; Ability to function effectively in a support position within a Clinical Dietetic section of a general medical and surgical and/or psychiatric hospital.
This experience is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.
Specialized experience includes but is not limited to: Developing and revising nutrition care plans; Interpreting significance of abnormal laboratory values related to nutritional status; Performing nutrition screening, assessing meal intakes and adjusting meal plans as appropriate; Providing nutrition education; Communicating with patients and other health care team members regarding patients' nutritional needs; Using nutrition technology applications; and Assessing the effectiveness of nutrition care plans, documenting care plans using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) guidelines.
There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level 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.
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: https://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.
Additional information The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment.
Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.
To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job.
Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.
opm.
gov/.
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.
VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service.
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.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
Benefits A career with the U.
S.
government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.
WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
Benefits A career with the U.
S.
government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits.
Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee.
You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Documents Accepted: Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Documents Required: Resume Transcript Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.
Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
You will not be contacted for additional information.
Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.
Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online.
Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply All applicants are encouraged to apply online.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/23/2024 to receive consideration.
To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.
usastaffing.
gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12187497.
1.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account.
Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.
usajobs.
gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position.
The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement.
You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Agency contact information Terry Brassard Phone (970) 263-5097 Email Terry.
Brassard@va.
gov Address Fargo VA Medical Center 2101 Elm Street Fargo, ND 58102 US Next steps After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.
After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
Fair and Transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent.
Please read the following guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Reasonable accommodation policy Financial suitability Selective Service New employee probationary period Signature and false statements Privacy Act Social security number request Required Documents Documents Accepted: Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Documents Required: Resume Transcript Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.
Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
You will not be contacted for additional information.
Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.
Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online.
Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Help This job is open to Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
The public U.
S.
Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.
S.
Clarification from the agency ALL US CITIZENS.
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.
201) for this occupation.