Health Technician - Dietetic

Veterans Health Administration•Philadelphia, PA

9h•Onsite

About The Position

This position is in Nutrition and Food Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Health Technician (Dietetic) provides administrative and customer service support for the hospital food service program. The role handles and interprets patient meal orders, supports meal-tray and nourishment preparation, and coordinates with dietitians and clinical staff to help ensure patients receive meals consistent with their preferences and current therapeutic diet orders. The position requires one year of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to GS-4, qualifying education, or an acceptable combination of education and experience. Qualifying experience involves knowledge of quantity food service operations, nutrition, food items and appropriate quantities; providing assistance and resolving issues for clients, patients, or customers; and using computers, software, databases, and automated systems. Applicants must be proficient in basic written and spoken English. The position is located at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and is not eligible for telework or virtual work.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen.
Must complete all required application steps, including an online assessment.
Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
Current federal employees and certain former federal employees applying for a GS-05 position must meet the time-in-grade requirement of 52 weeks at GS-04 and submit supporting SF-50 documentation.
Qualify through at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-04 involving quantity food service operations, nutrition and food quantities; customer or patient assistance; and use of computers, software, databases, and automated systems; or through qualifying education or a combination of education and experience.
For the education-only route, must have completed a four-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major or at least 24 semester hours in directly related subjects, and submit transcripts.
For the education-and-experience combination route, post-high-school education beyond the second year must include courses directly related to the position; transcripts must be submitted.
Selected applicants must complete required background/security investigation and online onboarding processes and provide acceptable identification for employment verification.
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel.
Must serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
Applicants tentatively selected for this testing-designated position are subject to urinalysis for illegal drug use before appointment; refusal or a verified positive result prevents appointment.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.

Nice To Haves

Customer service experience.

Responsibilities

Handle patient meal-service orders and enter meal orders into the Dietetics Software system.
Provide professional and courteous customer service by telephone, email, and in person.
Collaborate with dietitians regarding food/drug interactions and notify clinical staff of potential meal-service or delivery issues.
Interpret and process diet orders.
Print, prepare, and review meal tickets.
Triage calls from inpatient units, outpatient clinics, and procedure areas concerning patient meal trays or nourishments.
Retrieve computerized information and printouts to assist with tray or nourishment assembly, including standing orders, nourishment labels, tabulated recipe lists, and other information needed for meal delivery.
Provide basic-level education and information on therapeutic diets.
Interpret diet activity and patient information to ensure meal trays comply with patient requests and preferences and current therapeutic diet orders.
Communicate patient concerns to a registered dietitian or dietetic technician.
Verify physician orders for unusual diets, conflicting modifications, tube-feeding orders, and nutritional supplements.
Use a computer to record, retrieve, and print recipes, menus, and inventory reports.
Perform other related duties as assigned.