The current therapeutic diet manual must be jointly approved by which two individuals?

The current therapeutic diet manual must be jointly approved by the medical director and the dietitian because these two roles are critical in ensuring that the dietary needs of residents are met based on medical requirements and nutritional standards. The medical director, who oversees the clinical aspects of care, ensures that the dietary plans align with patients’ medical conditions and treatment goals. Meanwhile, the dietitian provides the expertise in nutrition and is responsible for creating diet plans that cater to the specific health needs of residents, taking into consideration various therapeutic diets that may be necessary based on individual health conditions. Their collaboration ensures that the policies established in the manual are both medically sound and nutritionally appropriate.

The roles of the administrator and the director of nursing (DON) are important in a nursing home, but their responsibilities do not typically extend to the detailed approval of therapeutic diets, which specifically requires clinical and dietary expertise.