Nutrition Care Patient Services Representative

University of Utah Health•Salt Lake City, UT

11d

About The Position

This position provides exceptional patient service and nutritional care for patients in an inpatient care unit by ensuring their dietary needs are met. It serves as a liaison between the unit and Nutrition Care Services, helping coordinate meal service, orders, and delivery. The role does not provide care to patients. Representatives explain the Nutrition Care Services program, collect patient preferences and meal requests, enter information into nutrition software, support patients in making diet-compliant selections, and deliver meals. They coordinate with clinical staff and refer questions or issues to the appropriate nutrition staff or supervisors.

Requirements

One year of customer service experience.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the job.
Demonstrated communication and human relations skills.
Knowledge of nutrition sufficient to understand special diet orders.
Ability to work as a team player and independently.
Knowledge of when to assist other representatives with larger patient caseloads.
Ability to appropriately handle customer issues or complaints.
Obtain one of the listed food-handling permits within 30 days of employment.
Incumbents assigned to patient-care units must successfully complete a hospital-provided nutrition exam within one month of hire.
Possess a current Utah Food Handler Permit or current ANSI-accredited Food Protection Manager certification.
Meet any additional license requirements determined by the hiring department.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of medical terminology.
Food service experience.

Responsibilities

Serve as a liaison for the assigned inpatient care unit to ensure meal service, orders, and delivery needs are met.
Respond to meal-service calls and pages from patients, resolve issues, or refer problems to the appropriate person.
Coordinate with doctors, nurses, dietitians, health care assistants, and health unit coordinators to ensure nutritional orders are accurate and patients' dietary needs are met.
Explain the Nutrition Care Services program to patients, collect personal preferences, record meal requests, and personally deliver each meal of the day.
Enter special nutrition requests and personal preferences accurately and promptly into the nutrition software system so meals can be delivered on schedule.
Manage special requests from patients or families and determine when to refer questions to nutrition care technicians, dietitians, or department supervisors.
Assist patients in making nutrition selections that comply with their diets.
May collect trays and clean the patient-care-unit galley after meals.
May prepare patient areas for trays before meals and deliver the appropriate tray to each patient.