Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education
• - Completion of an associate's or higher degree program in Dietetic Technology, Dietetics or another related field of study that is accredited by ACEND
• A list of ACEND accredited programs are located on the ACEND website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory (https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/accredited-programs/program-directory)
• OR Completion of one (1) year of clinical experience in dietetics, and the possession of an active Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) certification
• The experience must have been received after possession of the CDM certification
• OR Experience/Education Combination-Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying
• Licensure/Certification/Registration
• (1) List of Licensure/Certification/Registration
• Possession of the DTR credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is required for the Advanced CDT (Clinical), GS-08 assignment
• (2) Exception for Non-registered CDT (a) Non- registered applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure, may be given a temporary appointment as a CDT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)
• (b) Non-registered individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a credentialed CDT at or above the full performance level
• (c) Non-registered individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained
• (d) Temporary appointments of non-registered CDTs may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment
• Failure to Obtain Registration
• In all cases, CDTs must actively pursue meeting requirements for registration starting from the date of their placement into the occupation
• At the time of appointment, the Human Resources (HR) Office staff in collaboration with the supervisor will provide the employee with the written requirements for registration, including the time by which the registration, must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming registered by the deadline
• Failure to obtain registration during this time period may result in termination of employment
• Loss of Credential
• Management officials, in collaboration with HR office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required registration of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation, which may also result in separation from employment
• HR Office staff must appoint CDTs according to the provisions in Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 16 of this part, who have, or have ever had, their CDT registration revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status
• Grandfathering Provision
• Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and licensure/ /registration/certification
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance Uourney) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• (2) Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels
• (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• (4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
• (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/placements
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
• English Language Proficiency
• CDT candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade determining criteria for appointments at the grade levels specified
• a
• Clinical Dietetic Technician, GS-05
• (1) Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• b
• Clinical Dietetic Technician, GS-06
• (1) Experience
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• NOTE: Possession of the Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR) credential can be substituted for the one year of specialized experience
• (2) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to meeting the experience or certification requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of nutrition screening process
• (b) Knowledge of programs and systems used to manage patient diet orders and preferences
• (c) Skill in conducting diet education to selected groups of patients and individuals
• (d) Ability to work collaboratively with patients and coworkers to provide nutrition c
• Clinical Dietetic Technician, GS-07
• (1) Experience
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• (2) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to meeting the experience or certification requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge in Medical Nutrition Therapy pertaining to completing nutrition assessments
• (b) Knowledge of food service operations
• (c) Skill in conducting nutrition intervention, patient interviewing, and nutrition counseling as part of the nutrition care process
• (d) Ability to organize, evaluate, and execute teaching plans to provide nutrition education for selected groups of patients and individuals
• (e) Ability to effectively communicate nutrition education and care plans with patients, family members, coworkers, internal customers, and external customers
• Preferred Experience: None References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-25
• Subparagraph e
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-07
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.