What does this job look like at AHS?

Registered Dietitians play an important role in helping Albertans achieve optimal nutritional health. Working with individuals, families, groups and organizations, AHS dietitians provide nutrition knowledge and expertise to help Albertans enjoy good health, prevent and manage nutrition-related diseases, and recover from diseases and surgery. Dietitians work in many settings, including acute care and rehabilitation hospitals, home care, supportive living and continuing care facilities, public health centres, and outpatient clinics.

Dietitians conduct assessments of clients’ nutritional status and requirements, develop nutritional care plans and provide nutrition education and counselling. They also design and recommend follow-up schedules and nutrition plans for their clients. To promote population health, dietitians work with organizations and groups to identify nutritional health concerns, address the issues with evidence-based programs and approaches, and evaluate and monitor change. Dietitians translate research findings in the field of nutrition and provide nutrition expertise, information and education to clients/patients, health professionals, organizations and the public. As well, they collect and maintain data for service indicators, progress reports and evaluations, and maintain clinical records of nutrition care programs, preparing reports and statistics based on the information gathered. Dietitians also conduct research for various nutrition research projects and publications.

Dietitians act as liaisons between Nutrition and Food Services and Alberta Health Services programs, services and teams. Dietitians may provide direction to food service and production staff to ensure provision of appropriate menus, nourishments, and food production to clients. In addition, dietitians assist in the training and orientation of dietetic interns.

Dietitians work in hospitals, clinics and health centres and the community with patients, groups, and other health care providers. Effective communication skills are necessary, as dietitians must be able to clearly convey information to clients individually and in group settings, and communicate with other health professionals in team environments.

Dietitians may work full-time or part-time hours, generally working weekdays but sometimes on evenings or weekends to deliver programs. They can apply for positions that are permanent, temporary or casual depending on department and facility needs. Shift schedules are generally Monday to Friday during the day but may include a combination of day, evening and weekend shifts with on-call duty at some facilities.

Dietitians work on computers, participate in teams and facilitate groups requiring periods of standing or sitting. Sometimes, they may need to lift equipment and supplies. Dietitians work primarily in clean, air controlled indoor environments, but community, home or school visits will have variable conditions. They may work in kitchen environments, and maybe required to travel, with variable road and weather conditions.

To learn more visit Alberta Learning Information Services (ALIS).

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