Dietitian Staffing Ratios

Dietitian Staffing Ratios

RD Nutrition Consultants, LLC is a nationwide leader in Dietitian Staffing in healthcare facilities throughout the United States. We receive numerous requests for the ideal dietitian staffing ratio for numerous facility types and acuity levels.

Dietitian staffing ratios is often determined by a number of factors: institutional setting, client population, acuity level, budget limitations, and benchmarking targets (1). Adding to the mix is the variation in nutrition care procedures in order to meet state and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization standards.

In the patient acuity staffing guidelines, developed by the Clinical Nutrition Management practice group of the American Dietetic Association, the ratio of RDs per patient was 1:65 to 1:75 for a medical service and 1:30 to 1:60 for an intensive care unit (1). These ratios have some value in establishing norms at specific points in times, but they should not be used as the sole basis for establishing dietitian staffing requirements (1).

RD Nutrition Consultants can assist your healthcare organization by determining appropriate dietitian staffing requirements while also providing the best patient care and reducing healthcare costs. Contact us today about the appropriate Dietitian staffing ratio for your facility.

References:

1. Simmons, M.L. and Vaughan, L.A. Patient nutrition acuity as a predictor of the time required to perform medical nutrition therapy. (Available at: http://www.adajournal.org/article/PIIS000282239900334X/fulltext. Accessed September 6, 2006)J Am Diet Assoc. 1999; 99: 1367–1372

2. Marcason, W, What is ADA’s Staffing Ratio for Clinical Dietitians?, American Dietetic Assoc. , September 9, 2006.