Section 111.27. Nutritional aspects of patient care

(a) The administration of the nutritional aspects of patient care shall be under the direction of a qualified dietitian.

(b) Therapeutic diets, when appropriate, shall be prescribed in written or- ders on the medical record by the physician and shall be instructive, accurate and as complete as possible.

(c) The dietitian shall have available an up-to-date manual of regimens for therapeutic diets, approved jointly by the dietetic and medical staff, which shall be available to dietetic supervisory personnel. There shall be a standardized recipe file.

(d) Patients’ nutrition needs shall be met in accordance with the current Recommended Dietary Allowance of the Food and Nutrition Board, National Research Council, or shall be in accordance with physician’s orders.

(e) The dietitian shall be responsible for the development of a nutritional care plan in compliance with physician’s orders to meet the needs of the patient for the maintenance of health, prevention of disease, and treatment through diet modification and normal nutritional counseling. The nutritional care plan shall be integrated into the total care plan of the patient and shall be included on his discharge plan and in transfer orders to any nursing facility or home health agency to the extent necessary for continuity of care.

(f) The director of dietetic services should attend and participate in meetings of heads of departments and function as an integral member of the hospital staff.

(g) The director of dietetic services should have regularly scheduled conferences with the chief executive officer or his designee, to keep him informed, to seek his counsel, and to present program plans for mutual consideration and solution.

(h) Conferences should be held regularly within the dietary services department at all levels of responsibility, to disseminate information, interpret policy, solve problems, and develop procedures and program plans.