Nutritionist Locum

Role Overview

This is a temporary locum position for a qualified nutrition specialist to step into an active clinical environment and keep nutrition services running smoothly during periods of high sessional demand. You will work directly with both inpatients and outpatients, carrying out assessments, creating practical therapeutic meal plans, and educating patients on dietary changes that support recovery and long-term health. Your day-to-day work will feed into multidisciplinary ward rounds, helping doctors and nursing staff make more informed decisions about patient care, while ensuring that nutritional priorities are never delayed by staffing gaps.

Key Responsibilities

• Complete full nutritional assessments using a combination of anthropometric measurements, biochemical data, clinical observation, and dietary history for each assigned patient.
• Develop individualised therapeutic diet plans tailored to the medical condition, cultural preferences, and practical circumstances of both inpatients and outpatients.
• Provide one-on-one dietary counselling, helping patients and their caregivers understand meal modifications, portion control, micronutrient needs, and long-term eating behaviour changes.
• Identify and flag malnutrition risks early, using validated screening tools to ensure patients receive timely intervention before complications escalate.
• Take part in multidisciplinary ward rounds, presenting nutritional findings and recommendations clearly to medical teams and adjusting plans in response to changing clinical status.
• Document all assessment outcomes, interventions, and follow-up plans accurately within the hospital’s HMIS/EMR system, maintaining up-to-date clinical records.
• Coordinate with catering or food service staff where needed to ensure prescribed therapeutic diets are correctly prepared and delivered to patients.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics from a recognised institution.
• Minimum of one year of hands-on clinical nutrition experience, preferably within a hospital setting as a nutritionist or dietitian.
• Current registration with the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI), along with a valid practising licence.
• Demonstrated proficiency in core clinical skills, including anthropometric and biochemical nutritional assessment, therapeutic diet planning, and malnutrition screening.
• Familiarity with hospital documentation systems, specifically HMIS/EMR, for recording patient nutrition data and care plans.
• Availability to work on a shift basis and attend ward rounds as required, responding to fluctuating service needs.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex dietary guidance in understandable, practical terms to patients and colleagues.