Diet Technician, Full Time, Days, Valley Health Services

Bassett Healthcare Network•Town of Herkimer, NY

19d

About The Position

The Diet Technician assists the Food Service Director and Dietitian in facilitating optimal nutritional care for patients and residents. The role supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of nutrition care plans; monitors food services for quality and compliance with dietary prescriptions; communicates nutrition-related observations and changes to the Dietitian; and provides nutrition education and counseling to patients, residents, and families. The Diet Technician receives and processes dietary orders and requests, maintains nourishment lists and meal labels, enters meal and nourishment information into the computer, prepares meal tickets, and documents nutrition care in medical records. The role reviews food quality, meal accuracy, portion sizes, patient and resident preferences, and acceptance of meals and nourishments. It also contributes to care plans, MDS 2.0, progress notes, transfer summaries, and multidisciplinary team meetings. The position maintains effective working relationships with Dietary, nursing, and other departments; may be responsible for department operations in the absence of the Dietitian, Food Service Director, and Evening Supervisor; and follows facility policies, confidentiality requirements, and applicable HIPAA and HIV regulations. The position is full-time, day shift, with no travel required.

Requirements

A two-year associate degree from an accredited college in Food and Nutrition is required; experience may be considered in lieu of education.
Skills in accuracy, communication, customer service, interacting with people, listening, and responsibility.
Ability to perform medium work, exerting up to 50 pounds occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.
Ability to perform the listed occasional physical activities: balancing, climbing, crouching, typing/clerical work and dexterity, grasping, hearing, kneeling, lifting, pulling, pushing, reaching, repetitive motion, seeing/monitor or computer use, standing, stooping, and visual acuity including color and depth perception.
Frequent talking and constant fit testing are required.
Occasional exposure to bodily fluids or bloodborne hazards.
No travel required.

Responsibilities

Assist the Food Service Director and Dietitian in providing optimal nutritional care to patients and residents.
Assist the Dietitian in developing, implementing, and evaluating nutritional care plans.
Monitor food services for compliance with quality standards and dietary prescriptions.
Maintain effective communication and rapport among Dietary personnel and other facility departments.
Provide education and counseling on specific diets and general nutrition.
Monitor nutrition status and communicate changes to the Dietitian.
Receive dietary orders and requests from nursing through Diet-o-grams and make necessary changes in consultation with the Dietitian when needed.
Write therapeutic diets using cycle menus while considering prescriptions, food preferences, and nutritional balance.
Maintain nourishment lists and daily labels; enter nourishment and meal information into the computer; and write dietary meal tickets as needed.
Obtain and document information from patient and resident charts, including diet orders and changes, admission visits, diet histories, observations, education provided, goals, understanding, and probable compliance.
Evaluate food served for quality and dietary compliance, including checking dining rooms for diet-order accuracy, preferences, and portion sizes, and making appropriate tray-line substitutions.
Visit resident dining rooms during meals, observe food acceptance, and report observations to the Dietitian or Food Service Director as appropriate.
Provide nutrition information to patients, residents, and families, including diet-order explanations and discharge diet instruction using established guidelines.
Complete written transfer summaries and communicate accurate information to the Dietitian and Dietary staff.
Review and document nutritional care in medical records for assigned patients and residents.
Complete resident care plans and MDS 2.0 for assigned patients and residents, and complete progress notes monthly or as needed.
Review treatment books to monitor acceptance of meals, fluids, and nourishments; ensure diet orders are reflected on meal tickets.
Attend and participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and cooperate with nursing and other disciplines in support of patient and resident care.
Assume responsibility for total department operation in the absence of the Dietitian, Food Service Director, and Evening Supervisor.
Perform other required duties; periodically review forms, procedures, and policies and suggest changes; and participate in committees or special Dietary projects as requested.
Attend required in-services and follow department and facility policies and procedures, including use of personal protective equipment.
Maintain confidentiality of resident care and employee information and follow HIPAA and HIV regulations.