WIC Nutritionist (Temporary)

Job Description:

Required in depth knowledge of nutrition principles and its applications to the Women Infants and Children (WIC).  Must be responsive to the identified needs and interests of participants especially those whose nutrition or health concerns require an advanced level of nutrition expertise (High Risk) according to the core competencies associated with Participant Centered Nutrition Assessment (PCNA).  Responsible for the overall coordination, planning, and development of the nutrition treatment plan for the participant in the WIC Program by performing the following duties: 

• All duties of the Nutrition Assistant staff and program support.
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of WIC the program and successfully communicate program purpose.
• Demonstrate understanding of nutrition issues for pregnancy, breastfeeding, the postpartum period, infancy, and early childhood and their impact on the life course.
• Develop and implement individual care plans (ICPs), high risk care plans and oversee high risk care of all participants.
• Provide oversight and guidance to Nutrition Assistant staff.
• Coordinate nutrition education, including breastfeeding promotion and support that is responsive to the identified needs/interests of each high-risk participant.
• QN staff member is also assigned role as DBE (Designated Breastfeeding Expert) in NYWIC based on agency need.
• Refer high-risk participants to other health-related and social services, as necessary.
• Track high-risk participants’ progress in improving their health and document outcomes.
• Ensure the efficient flow of the assessment and education processes.
• Provide leadership in planning, conducting, and evaluating Participant Centered Nutrition Education services.
• Provide leadership and assist in orienting, training, and mentoring new local agency staff.
• Provide leadership in developing, conducting, and evaluating nutrition training for local agency staff in nutrition education topics.
• Implement optional and required individual care plans for participants, especially participants whose nutrition or health concerns require an advanced level of nutrition expertise (high risk).
• Provide and document Participant Centered Nutrition Assessment (PCNA) core competencies during counseling which are as follows:
• Utilize participant centered approach including open-ended questions, body language, affirmations, and reflective listening.
• Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and appreciation for how sociocultural issues (e.g., race, 
• ethnicity, religion, group affiliation, socioeconomic status, and world view) impact participant’s nutrition behaviors and practices.
• Collect relevant information from all sources, including anthropometric, hematological, clinical, lifestyle, breastfeeding, and visual observations.
• Assist in the collection of onsite hematology according to OSHA and NYSDOH policy and procedure.
• Utilize critical thinking and probes appropriately to collect and analyze relevant information.
• Assign and generate appropriate nutrition risk criteria.
• Summarize the assessment by conveying pertinent risks to the participant/caretaker in a sensitive manner.
• Work with participants to prioritize needs and concerns.
• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of community resources and appropriately refer WIC participants for services and additional care.
• Document all mandatory information based on professional judgment and non-mandatory information.
• Provide facilitated group counseling using the Talk Listen Connect (TLC) techniques.
• Conduct a complete nutrition assessment and determine program eligibility.
• Provide breastfeeding information and issuance of breast pumps.
• Prescribe, tailor, authorize, issue, and reissue any food package.
• Review and approve formula requests requiring medical documentation for participants in consultation with the (HCP).
• Provide and document appropriate follow- up referrals to other health and social services agencies for participants.
• Provide participants with appropriate NYSDOH forms and letters regarding certification.
• Assist in the collection of data needed in the planning of the daily operation of the WIC program.
• Transfer and terminate participants according to the NYSDOH NYWIC policy.
• Maintain good public relations and keep staff, participants, and community residents aware of ongoing education program in WIC.
• Attend NYSDOH nutrition education meetings, seminars, and trainings.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

• Education: Registered Dietician Nutritionist ( RD/RDN), Bachelors, Masters, in nutrition.
• Experience: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and or ability required. 
• Interpersonal Skills: Ability to interact with Clients and staff through active listening, Proper business language and tone of voice to obtain information and/or completing tasks.
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of an organization.
• Mathematical Skills: Ability to add subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals, ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representatives of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly sits. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and or/move up to 10 pounds.
• Computer Skills: The knowledge and ability to use computers and related technology effectively with regards to several specific application systems and software.

Salary : $29 - $31