Nutrition Assistant

Baystate Health•Springfield, MA

About The Position

The Nutrition Assistant facilitates patient meal selections using handheld technology, with a special emphasis on customer service. The role guides patients and family members in selecting foods that comply with Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) orders and supports nursing and the Clinical Nutrition Team. The Nutrition Assistant also facilitates communication within and between departments to support quality patient care and patient satisfaction. Other similar and related duties may be assigned, and duties may change to meet departmental operational needs.

Requirements

Able to speak, write, and comprehend English.
Basic math skills.
Ability to follow directions.
Excellent verbal communication skills.
Familiarity with Windows-based software.

Nice To Haves

Food service and/or healthcare experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Assess patients for appropriateness of food selections.
Assist patients and family members with meal selections when indicated, suggesting foods appropriate to the patient's diet.
Guide patients and/or family members toward food choices that meet MNT orders, recommend alternatives, and confirm MNT orders and allergies in CIS and CBord.
Communicate consistent food-choice and intake problems to the Clinical Nutrition Team and nursing.
Deliver supplements to patients, assist nursing with verifying consumption, and use double identifiers when distributing nourishments.
Use dual identifiers when helping patients place food orders.
Ensure trays are complete and accurate, assist with tray setup when needed, and practice “clean in, clean out.”
Record supplement, fluid, and meal intake, and record calorie counts when ordered.
Report patient meal problems to dieticians; follow up when a patient has not ordered for two meal periods; use the C-Bord program to document feeding-related discrepancies; follow up with patients whose expectations were not met and report desired outcomes to the FS Operations Manager.
Provide accurate and complete information to the production area to support accurate tray assembly and reduce waste, including communicating MHU discharges before assembly.
Work with nursing to improve communication between departments and ensure appropriate communication for all aspects of patient care.
Use C-Bord status icons, including the refused-tray button. Provide trays and honor diet changes only when a physician or nurse has physically changed the patient's diet in C-Board.
Insert tray tickets using designated methods and standards without variation.
Follow the predetermined tray-ticket setup, placing hot items and garnish at the top and cold items in designated areas to streamline tray assembly.
Distribute tube feedings on floors at designated times.
Use handheld technology and the C-Bord system to enter patient meals, follow predetermined interaction scripts, and check allergies.
Attend nursing practice meetings on assigned floors and collaborate with nursing to develop or redesign processes when communication fails.
Reinstitute the test tray program with food service employees and nursing, explain the process, and document results for monthly reporting.
Follow up with patients using the patient satisfaction survey tool, ask whether expectations for an excellent experience were met, and seek feedback on improving food service.
Demonstrate and model service excellence in support of the patient experience and SPIRIT program.
Perform other similar and related duties as assigned.