Nutrition Assistant, Dietary, Full Time, Days, Jackson South M.C.
About The Position
The Nutrition Assistant serves the nutritional needs of hospital patients by routing patient menus, writing routine modified diets, assisting patients with menu selections and routine nutritional needs, and ensuring meal trays and nourishments meet established nutritional standards. The role is responsible for operating and sanitizing the pantry area. Work is performed under the immediate supervision of a Dietetic Technician or Dietitian and appropriate medical and nursing staff to ensure conformance with dietary and sanitation requirements. The position involves regular patient contact, menu and diet coordination, support for meal production and service, and communication of patient concerns or nutritional problems to appropriate staff. The Nutrition Assistant also provides basic nutrition information and performs other related duties as assigned.
Requirements
- Generally requires 0 to 3 years of related experience.
- High school diploma is strongly preferred.
- Ability to analyze, organize, and prioritize work accurately while meeting multiple deadlines.
- Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
- Ability to handle difficult and stressful situations with critical thinking and professional composure.
- Ability to understand and follow instructions.
- Ability to exercise sound, independent judgment.
- Knowledge and skill in using job-appropriate technology and software applications.
- Must meet and maintain current unit-specific and organizational skills and competencies, certifications, and licensures as required by the nursing area.
- A valid license or certification is required as needed based on the job or specialty.
- Must be able to stand or walk for extended periods.
- Must be able to carry objects weighing 21 to 50 pounds and lift or move objects weighing 51 to 100 pounds with appropriate devices.
- Frequent visual acuity is required for activities related to extended computer use.
Responsibilities
- Visit patients regularly to assess meal satisfaction and document food preferences.
- Respond promptly to patient problems and communicate them to the Dietitian or Nutrition Supervisor.
- Correct menus for nutritional adequacy using the approved diet manual and transcribe pertinent patient information in the patient chart.
- Complete assigned work without reminders, seek additional assignments when duties are complete, and perform additional work during periods of low patient activity.
- Fill out nourishment labels daily and provide patients with basic nutrition education.
- Deliver and pick up food carts as requested.
- Implement phone orders for new admissions, diet changes, and room changes.
- Head patient menus accurately with the correct room number and patient name; mark menus with applicable measurements and dietary restrictions, including fluid, sodium, and isolation requirements.
- Check breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus before service, verify room numbers and diets, remove discharges, add new admissions, tally last-minute special items, and inform cooks of needed food items.
- Work the tray line as needed in accordance with department policies and procedures.
- Assist patients with menu selections, offer accepted alternate selections when requested, and prioritize the patient's menu choices over the house diet when possible.
- Obtain food preferences from a patient's family when the patient cannot make selections, and attempt to resolve food preference problems before consulting dietitians.
- Complete diabetic exchanges before menus are delivered to patients.
- Finish checking menus 5–10 minutes before tray line start-up, take the meal census, and bring menus to the production area.
- Accommodate work schedule changes to meet department objectives and appropriately prioritize assignments.
- Apply knowledge of normal and therapeutic nutrition principles, diabetic food exchanges, and other modified diets; follow dietary restrictions when offering alternatives to patients on therapeutic diets.
- Coordinate menu work with kitchen production procedures and identify and refer nutritional problems to the dietitian.
- Demonstrate service excellence and CARE values: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Expertise.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
