Position
Dietitian
Status
Contracted Part time
Division
Kaľnúmet Primary Care
Hours
0.5 FTE (20 hours weekly)
Department
Yúustway Health and Wellness
Salary Grade
$42.23 CAD- $58CAD
Supervisor
Manager, Kaľnúmet Primary Care
Location
Squamish Valley
Department Overview: Yúustway Health and Wellness provides Squamish Nation people with quality holistic care in a respectful, safe manner to ensure the health and wellness of all people by empowering our community and offering the tools for living in health from birth to end of life. We provide services to the Nation on the North Shore (West/North Vancouver) and in the Squamish Valley. Our services include primary care, mental health and addictions counselling and supports, traditional wellness and alternative healing, community nursing and home care support services for Elders and home-based/bound clients, recreational programming, and access to health benefits. Yúustway Health and Wellness also provides a variety of public health support services to families and children including but not limited to pre and postnatal care, infectious disease education and support, substance use care, mental health needs, chronic disease management, and health promotion.
Kal'numet Primary Care Clinic includes Physicians, Naturopathic Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, Team Lead RN, Primary Care RNs, Public Health Nurses, Wellness Coordinators (Social Workers), Medical Office Assistant(s), Elders, Traditional Healers and a Primary Care Manager.
Position Profile : In accordance with the Vision, Mission and Values, and strategic directions of Squamish Nation and Yúustway’s 10 Year Community Health Plan, the Registered Dietitian promotes a culturally safe, supportive, empowering, and therapeutic environment for Squamish people, clients and families, colleagues, and partners. The Registered Dietitian preferably has experience working with First Nations communities and brings a solid understanding and application of Indigenous Cultural Safety to their practice.
Reporting to the Manager of the Kal'númet Primary Care division, the Registered Dietitian is a registered and experienced clinician who is a valued member of our community-based interdisciplinary health and wellness team. They practice from a place of respect for, and a willingness to learn about, the Squamish worldview that recognizes and honours the values, beliefs and customs of individuals, families and the community, as well as adhering to best practices current to the field of dietetics and clinical nutrition. Adhering to our integrated service delivery model of care, the incumbent serves clients on the North Shore and works with the North Shore Primary Care team. They also are available to provide nutrition care support to Clients Home & Community Care. They collaborate effectively and creatively with all internal Squamish Nation employees and external service providers who are involved with the client's care, adapting their nutrition care approach accordingly. They communicate with the client's immediate/extended family,
healthcare/allied health team members/professionals, and community partners to assess client need, and provide and/or coordinate holistic wraparound nutrition care for clients with complex and chronic health conditions. The Registered Dietitian provides nutrition assessment and counselling to help stabilize and support the individual, and refers on to specialized or longer-term services where appropriate. This role places an emphasis on support and outreach to Kal'númet Primary Care patients, liaises with other Squamish Nation departments, partner Nations, and community supports, helps the client to navigate the relevant systems, and provides advocacy where necessary.
We are looking for someone who is flexible, creative, passionate, and who takes a holistic approach to their work, has excellent clinical nutrition and counselling skills, and will work collaboratively with our interdisciplinary team, community and partners. Experience supporting seniors and 3+ years of experience in chronic disease management (such as diabetes, renal, and cardiovascular nutrition) is essential.
Key Accountabilities
- Provides clinical nutrition assessment and care planning, case formulation, goal setting, promotion of engagement and progress evaluation, prevention strategies, and the sourcing of alternative or traditional food and healing approaches for community members.
- Provides education and short-term individual and group nutrition counselling, maintaining non-judgmental support relationships with clients, including harm reduction approaches and cultural safety.
- Provides outreach services to patients and community members in need and finds creative and effective ways to connect with clients who are more difficult-to-reach.
- Provides nutrition intake and screening, developing a nutrition care plan in collaboration with community members.
- Works collaboratively with the client and their family, Yúustway's Primary Care and Home and Community Care, other relevant Squamish Nation departments, and other referral sources to provide care-planning information.
- Provides short-term nutrition counselling and consultation (as needed), including nutrition-focused assessment for clients with complex, chronic, or high-risk conditions.
- Actively participates in interdisciplinary case management meetings for the management of client nutrition and chronic disease issues.
- Supports clients navigating the healthcare system, including but not limited to: chronic disease management pathways, hospital stays, specialist visits, etc.
- Participates in the coordination of nutrition-related supports for clients, including transitions in care (such as those who have been discharged from hospital).
- Supports education and coordination of health and community programs and services by participating in, developing, and providing education services related to nutrition and chronic disease management.
- Provides low barrier, culturally safe nutrition support that prioritizes accessibility, flexibility and practical guidance tailored to each individuals needs and circumstances
- Communicates/collaborates closely with Yúustway's other allied health clinicians as necessary and provides basic coverage for dietetics across sites, inclusive of Squamish Valley, when approved by the manager.
- Works closely with other relevant Squamish Nation departments (e.g. Member Services), and Yúustway's community partners (e.g. allied health professionals such as nurses, case managers, occupational therapists, etc.).
- Works with the Primary Care and Home and Community Care teams to assess community needs to inform program/project planning, development, and implementation, ensuring focus on Squamish Nation culture and tradition.
- Supports Primary Care community events, groups, and activities.
- Documents accurate program and client records in our Electronic Medical Records system while maintaining strict confidentiality and privacy of information. Follows documentation standards laid out by the regulatory body.
- Maintains regular communication with the Primary Care Manager and interdisciplinary team, provides regular documentation and reporting to the manager, including reports to the funder, and ensures any challenges, barriers, service gaps, and program development needs are communicated.
- Contributes cooperatively to the larger Squamish Nation Yúustway Health and Wellness team to achieve position and department goals
- Maintains current knowledge and skills within the clinical dietetics field and remains in good standing with the regulatory body.
- Supports and Participates in Primary Care Quality Improvement initiatives.
- Performs additional duties as required
Education
- Master's degree and/or Bachelor's degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, or related discipline, from a recognized post-secondary institution.
- Current full registration as a Dietitian with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC).
- Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) designation preferred.
- 3+ years of recent related clinical dietetics experience, ideally including chronic disease management, community nutrition, or primary care.
- Recent (in the last 3 years) Indigenous Cultural Safety training, or willingness to complete it.
Experience
- Experience working in a First Nations community is preferred.
- 3–5 years of directly related experience in the majority of duties listed in the job description, including clinical nutrition assessment and care planning, outreach and navigation, resource and liaising work, caseload management, nutrition counselling and, ideally, Squamish Nation cultural knowledge.
- Working knowledge of community-based health and wellness programs is an asset.
- Understanding of, and competency in, Indigenous Cultural Safety and humility, or willingness to learn.
- Demonstrated competency in compounding a therapeutic diet by enteral and parenteral nutrition and administering a therapeutic diet by enteral nutrition (formerly known as Restricted Activity A, B and C). Although separate restricted activity declarations are no longer required under HPOA, these competencies remain essential and ongoing to this role. Applicants requiring competency development are strongly encouraged to disclose this information for appropriate support and mentorship upon hire.
- Professional, adaptable communication style with strong interpersonal skills.
- High level of emotional intelligence, patience, and integrity.
- Ability to practice from a strength-based perspective.
- Knowledge of, and experience with, Indigenous approaches to healing, including land/water-based healing, traditional foods, as well as alternative approaches to health and wellness, such as mindfulness techniques etc.
