Kensington Health:
Kensington Health is a not-for-profit, healthcare organization that provides community-delivered care. Our mission is to reimagine community-delivered care and our vision is a better life for everyone.
Kensington Health offers a diverse range of care and services including long-term care, hospice, community care, cancer screening, diagnostic imaging, ophthalmology, and eye tissue processing for transplants.
Kensington Health is deeply committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. In addition, Kensington Health is a system partner, helping to co-lead and support the Mid-West Toronto Ontario Health Team, and is affiliated with the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine.
For additional information about Kensington Health, visit our website at https://www.kensingtonhealth.org
Job Overview
Reporting to the Director, Client Services, the registered dietitian serves Kensington Health's long-term care home (i.e. The Gardens) to support the clinical operations and enhance quality of care by delivering nutrition care, including dysphagia management and wound care.
As a key member of the clinical care team, the registered dietitian is responsible for nutritional and hydration assessments, nutritional and hydration care planning, implementation and evaluation of the treatment plans.
Responsibilities
Clinical Care:
- Develop, evaluate, modify nutritional care plans for people living in the long-term care home.
- Collaborates with people living in the long-term care home, substitute decision makers, loved ones and the interdisciplinary team when assessing and implementing nutrition and hydration care plans.
- Identify and monitor level of nutrition and hydration risks for people living in the long-term care home sand implement interventions to mitigate identified risks.
- Complete scheduled Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set (RAI-MDS) assessments
- Assess nutrition and hydration status of each person living in the long-term care home upon admission, annually and when significant changes in status occur.
- Triage and respond to referrals within the required service levels.
- Participate in care conference and interdisciplinary rounds, as needed.
- Collaborate with other interdisciplinary team members to address swallowing needs (e.g. speech-language pathologist, medical specialists)
- Complete monthly reviews of weights and take action on further assessment and treatment of any significant variance in weight changes in an individual.
- Collaborate with the Food and Nutrition Services team to plan seasonal menus and foster a pleasurable dining experience for those living in the long-term care home
Education and Training
- Provide nutrition and hydration counselling and education to people living in the long-term care home; substitute decision makers; and their loved ones, as needed.
- Supports continuous learning and professional development of team members through education, coaching and mentorship regarding nutrition and hydration.
Quality and Experience:
- Fosters a service excellence culture through role modeling the values of the organization.
- Supports the achievement of quality improvement goals and objectives.
- Promotes person-centered care approaches to care and service through role modeling and fostering of relationships with people living in the long-term care home and their substitute decision makers.
Safety Responsibilities:
- Responsible for working safely in compliance with accepted safe work practices, procedures and legislated health and safety standards. Employees must: use and wear the equipment, protective devices and personal protective equipment as required; report hazards, accidents, and the absence of or defect in any equipment or protective device; attend all required health and safety training; and follow all established safe work procedures.
Other:
- Demonstrate a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion by championing initiatives that promote equity, diversity and inclusion.
- Participates in committees and engagement forums as required by the organization.
Required Skills and Abilities:
- Demonstrates a strong ability to facilitate person-centred care and establish therapeutic relationships.
- Demonstrates excellence in communication skills (verbal and written) and inter-disciplinary teamwork.
- Reliable, flexible, creative, self-directed professional, able to work effectively and collaboratively within a team environment.
- Ability to establish effective working relationships.
Required Knowledge and Experience:
- Knowledge of applicable legislation and regulations (e.g.: Fixing Long-Term Care Act, Health Care Consent, Regulated Health Professions Act).
- Minimum 5 years of current experience in a similar role in a health care setting.
- In depth experience related to clinical assessment, planning and interventions related to nutrition and hydration of people with complex needs and particularly those living in a long-term care setting.
Required Professional Designation/Certificate:
- Bachelor's degree in dietetics, nutrition or a related field such as food and nutritional science from a program accredited by the Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice (PDEP).
- Master's degree in a related field preferred.
- Member in good standing with the College of Dietitians of Ontario.
- Current membership in Dietitians of Canada preferred.
- Certification in Gentle Persuasive Approaches preferred
Job Type: Part-time
Expected hours: 20 per week
Benefits:
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible schedule
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree (required)
Experience:
- health care setting: 5 years (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- and current membership in Dietitian of Canada (preferred)
- membership with the College of Dietitians of Ontario (required)
Work Location: In person