Nutrition Care Assistant

WVU Medicine

39d•Onsite

About The Position

The Nutrition Care Assistant provides direct patient meal service by obtaining meal selections in person or through the hospitality center ordering system, delivering meals, and retrieving meal trays. The role requires knowledge of special diets and allergies, excellent customer service, and attention to patient safety. The assistant also maintains cleanliness in nutrition centers in patient care areas. The position requires a valid Food Service Worker Permit (FSWP) from the Monongalia County Health Department (MCHD) before starting, or a temporary MCHD FSWP by the first Wednesday of employment and a permanent permit within one month of the start date at the next available class. A valid MCHD FSWP must be maintained throughout employment. Until a temporary permit is obtained, the employee may not handle exposed food or food-contact surfaces, equipment, or utensils, but may receive tray-delivery training and complete general department orientation. The shift may vary but is predominantly 1:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., with rotating weekends and holidays. Scheduled weekly hours are 8. The work involves patient interaction, including potentially distressing conditions or appearances; entering isolation-precaution rooms with proper protective equipment; and working in a kitchen environment that is often noisy.

Requirements

Must have a valid Food Service Worker Permit from the Monongalia County Health Department before starting, or obtain a temporary permit no later than the first Wednesday of employment and a permanent permit within one month of the start date at the next available class.
Must maintain a valid Monongalia County Health Department Food Service Worker Permit throughout employment.
Until a temporary Food Service Worker Permit is obtained, must not handle exposed food or any food-contact surface, equipment, or utensil.
Ability to understand written and oral communication.
Ability to push a fully loaded tray cart weighing approximately 250 pounds.
Ability to stand for most of the working day.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Answer patient phone calls in accordance with customer service standards.
Follow diet restrictions, including allergies and fluid restrictions.
Use EPIC and VST to obtain necessary patient information and correctly process menu requests.
Process between-meal nourishment orders and print them for kitchen staff.
Follow procedures for missed-meal reports, including alerting nursing.
Deliver or retrieve meal trays as needed.
Visit patients designated as needing assistance to obtain menu selections and enter them according to diet restrictions.
Deliver meal trays within service timeliness guidelines.
Follow delivery standards, including hand sanitization, infection-control requirements, use of two patient identifiers, AIDET, and key phrases; alert nursing if a patient is not properly positioned to eat or appears to need assistance.
Check trays for missing items and correct issues immediately; maintain the supply of condiments on the cart.
Document information required for ordered calorie counts.
Inform new patients about room service, provide menus, and explain the service as needed.
Establish and maintain rapport with nursing staff through positive communication.
Work as a team with Clinical Dietitians, respect their primary responsibility for patient nutritional care, and respond appropriately.
Communicate patient special requests clearly to tray-line and production personnel, following up on unusual requests.
Maintain cleanliness of unit nutrition centers in accordance with departmental procedures, health department regulations, and HACCP sanitation, safety, and quality-control guidelines.
Collect patient trays and return them to the kitchen within a reasonable timeframe.
Assist the room-service assembly line, wrap silverware, or help in the dishroom while waiting for trays, as needed.
Follow procedures for phone and iPad use.
Complete menus and deliver meals by required daily deadlines.
Perform other assigned duties, which may include duties normally performed by a dietetic assistant.