Dietary Aide HCC

PruittHealth•Pensacola, FL

About The Position

The Dietary Aide assists with food preparation according to established procedures and directions from the Dietary Manager or supervisor. The role follows facility procedures for storing, serving, and transporting food and supplies, and is responsible for cleaning, sanitizing, and maintaining equipment. The Dietary Aide supports meal service for patients and residents, including preparing meals, snacks, and between-meal nourishment; delivering trays and serving meals; following diet orders; offering menu substitutions; and providing friendly, professional service to patients, residents, clients, and their families. The role also performs kitchen cleaning and sanitation, food storage and temperature checks, dishwashing, stock checks, and safe operation of food-service equipment. Employees participate in required training and surveys and follow facility policies on infection control, safety, compliance, and patient and resident rights.

Requirements

Sufficient education to demonstrate functional literacy.
No prior experience required; on-the-job training is provided.

Nice To Haves

Previous food-service and/or food-preparation experience preferred.
Long-term-care dietary experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Follow diet orders and NPO diet orders.
Assist the cook in preparing meals, desserts, snacks, salads, and other dishes.
Use proper food-handling processes, procedures, and policies.
Deliver trays to patients and residents on the halls.
Deliver and serve meals, food, and beverages in the dining area.
Prepare and serve between-meal nourishment, such as sandwiches, according to procedural guidelines.
Offer menu substitutions and record them according to procedural guidelines.
Follow procedures for serving partner meals.
Communicate professionally and warmly with patients, residents, clients, family members, and visitors; respond to expressed concerns and answer questions when appropriate.
Clean dining-area tables after each meal.
Clean the work area after meals and at the end of the shift, including sweeping and mopping.
Remove garbage from kitchen areas and hose out garbage containers.
Comply with infection-control policies in the work area.
Scrape and wash dishes, pots, and pans.
Record freezer and walk-in refrigerator temperatures according to established procedures.
Check stock as needed and store items appropriately under facility guidelines.
Store cleaning materials appropriately.
Set up the tray line and perform tray-line service.
Store leftovers and opened food properly.
Make coffee or tea as requested.
Clean kitchen equipment, including carts, tables, counters, ice machines, buckets, blenders, mixers, meat slicers, freezers, refrigerators, stoves, steamers, garbage disposals, dish machines, coffee and tea makers, and steam tables.
Operate coffee and tea makers, dish machines, garbage disposals, mixers, blenders, meat slicers, and steamers.
Follow standardized recipes and use serving equipment such as ladles, spoons, and scoops.
Check and record water temperatures, including dishwasher and pot-and-pan sink temperatures.
Check the dishwasher with sanitizer strips.
Check chemical levels and replace chemicals as needed.
Participate in center or agency surveys, including licensure and JCAHO surveys, and complete subsequently required reports.
Attend and participate in continuing education and mandatory in-service programs.
Honor patient and resident rights, including fair and equitable treatment, self-determination, individuality, privacy, property, civil rights, and the right to make complaints.
Comply with the corporate compliance program.
Report job-related tasks involving occupational hazards, including exposure to blood and body fluids.
Follow established safety regulations and procedures, including fire protection and prevention, smoking regulations, infection control, and safe use of equipment.