Food & Nutrition Cafe

American Addiction Centers•Elgin, IL

1d•$19 - $28•Onsite

About The Position

The Food & Nutrition Associate is responsible for completing all duties listed on the task list, ensuring the quality and accuracy of department operations by performing and monitoring daily food service related activities. This role involves preparing and delivering patient meals, assisting patients with menu selection, delivering and retrieving meal trays, communicating patient needs, performing cafe and trayline activities, handling cash transactions, and following standardized recipes and food safety processes. The position also emphasizes patient and customer satisfaction, effective communication, and adherence to safety and sanitation standards.

Requirements

6 months to 1 year experience in the hospitality industry or customer service experience preferable.
Ability to speak, read, and write English clearly and proficiently.
Ability to accurately count and perform basic mathematical functions.
Ability to communicate effectively.
Ability to relate to a diverse audience of individuals.
Ability to walk for significant periods of time when going to patient's rooms.
Must stand or walk for long periods of time; employees spend 100% of the time on their feet.
Moderate physical effort (lift up to 35 pounds and push up to 45 pounds of force).
Ability to rotate positions throughout the department.
Frequent bending, stooping, reaching, lifting, climbing, kneeling.
Exposure to hazardous chemicals, sharp objects, heat, steam, refrigeration and freezer temperatures.
Must be willing and capable of working in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to work flexible hours; evenings, weekdays, weekends, and holidays.
Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance.
Willingness to use patient handling equipment for lifts over 35 pounds or when patient is unable to assist.

Responsibilities

Accurately prepares, expedites, validates, and delivers patient meals, nourishments, and floor stock that meet patient and customer expectations, department standards, and regulatory requirements.
Assists the patient with menu selection/ordering, as needed, and communicates special meal requests or needs to the diet office.
Delivers and retrieves meal trays within the designated time frame, verifies accuracy at the point of service, and assists patients with opening containers, adjusting tray stands, and removing lids as needed.
Communicates patient needs to nursing and informs the kitchen about wrong or missing items.
Completes daily cafe and/or trayline related activities as outlined in individual task sheets, including wiping tables, restocking service stations, cleaning assigned areas, and dishroom activities.
Responds promptly to telephone pages and maintains patient confidentiality during communications.
Distributes patient menus according to respective patient diets.
Performs cash-related activities including cash collection, cash count reconciliation, and accurate transaction input.
Follows standardized recipes, production standards, and food safety processes.
Demonstrates a commitment to meeting patient and customer expectations and service through personal example and prompt follow-up.
Demonstrates a “can do” attitude in all patient and customer interactions.
Partners with hospital associates to meet patient and customer expectations for service.
Rounds on patients weekly to determine overall satisfaction.
Demonstrates effective communication skills, collaborating with hospital departments and fellow associates.
Demonstrates accuracy and clarity in both verbal and written communications.
Demonstrates sound decision-making and takes responsibility for decisions.
Communicates pertinent patient and operational information to the appropriate resource for follow-up.
Demonstrates respect for the confidentiality of patient information and maintains HIPAA standards.
Utilizes appropriate safety techniques and correct body mechanics in the performance of duties.
Practices safety and sanitation techniques that meet department standards and regulatory requirements.
Utilizes chemicals according to department and manufacturer guidelines.
Practices “clean as you go” in day-to-day task assignments.
Observes hospital/department guidelines concerning dress and display of name badge.
Attends scheduled department meetings, inservices, and other meetings as scheduled.
Provides a high-quality dining experience to patients/customers that meets their nutritional requirements and service expectations regarding temperature, timeliness, and food quality.
Utilizes performance improvement processes to identify, assess, and evaluate areas for improvement.
Performs additional or other duties as assigned based on the daily needs of the department (e.g., diet office, trayline, dishroom, cafe).