Nutrition Services Cook

Waverly Health Center•Waverly, IA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Responsible for primary cooking duties, providing assistance in food production, patient food tray preparation and service, staff meal service, dishwashing, and department housekeeping. This role involves food preparation primarily for café service, following recipes for preparation and portion control, and adhering to established guidelines for quality, appearance, and temperature of food served. The cook is responsible for food preparation for optimum nutrient preservation, minimization of waste, and efficient time management. They monitor food quantity, initiate the need for back-up options, and maintain appropriate levels of options. Food is labeled, dated, and rotated per department guidelines. The cook informs the manager or assistant of equipment, food, supply, or training needs and preps and prepares main dishes for special functions, providing input on café menu selection. Additionally, the role involves using the computer system to access patient diet information, utilizing the patient Diet Report to identify patient diet and/or specific nutrition interventions, and verifying accuracy and completeness of diet orders. The cook adheres to diet prescriptions when filling menu orders, assists with the preparation of patient food trays and room service calls, and delivers trays to patient areas. They also assist in serving meals to staff and guests, clean dining room service areas, and replenish food and supply items. Temperature checks of equipment and food are performed and recorded, and sanitation principles are strictly applied. The cook checks in deliveries, puts stock away as needed, and stocks café items and products for other patient care areas per par levels.

Requirements

Must possess high school diploma or equivalent.
Understanding of basic food preparation techniques is required.
Willingness to complete training/coursework in sanitation is required.
Ability to learn and navigate computer systems including the online training modules, the employee timesheet and the performance appraisal system.
Job specific systems are also required.
Must be able to read, speak, and write fluent English.
Must use, and require others to use, when in hospital and/or pre-hospital settings, proper body mechanics and ergonomics and as applicable, lifting/moving devices.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in healthcare or food service is preferred.

Responsibilities

Follows recipes for preparation and portion control.
Follows established guidelines for quality, appearance, and temperature of food served.
Responsible for food preparation for optimum nutrient preservation, minimization of waste and efficient time management.
Monitors food quantity and initiates need for back up options, maintaining appropriate levels of options.
Labels, dates and rotates food per department guidelines.
Informs manager or assistant of equipment, food, supply, or training needs.
Preps and prepares main dishes for special functions.
Provides input on café menu selection.
Uses computer system appropriately to access patient diet information.
Utilizes the patient Diet Report to identify patient diet and/or specific nutrition interventions suggested by the Nutrition Therapist.
Verifies accuracy and completeness of diet order with next shift; clarifies discrepancies with Nutrition Therapist or nursing.
Adheres to diet prescription when filling menu order, when needed clarifies diet order with Nutrition Therapist or nursing.
Assists with preparation of patient food trays and patient room service calls.
Delivers trays to patient area/patient rooms as appropriate.
Follows department policies and procedures for patient identification; uses two patient identifiers every time serves food to patient.
Assists in serving meals to staff and guests; responds when help is needed (buzzer).
Cleans dining room service areas.
Replenishes food and supply items as necessary during meal service.
Checks and records temperature of equipment (dish machine, refrigerators, freezers, etc.) as designated on recording forms; alerts manager or assistant and Plant Services if temperatures are out of range.
Checks and complies with all food temperature guidelines; alerts Supervisor if temperatures are not in range.
Applies strict principles of sanitation, and infection control in the performance of duties.
Complies with current sanitation guidelines for handling food and cleaning equipment.
Checks equipment prior to use for cleanliness and proper functioning.
Always cleans equipment after use.
Adheres to assigned cleaning schedules.
Always asks for help if any question about using equipment safely.
Complies with strict safety regulations in the use of all equipment.
Reports malfunctioning or defective equipment to assistant, Manager and Plant Services immediately.
Checks in deliveries and puts stock away as needed.
Stocks café items, and products for other patient care areas per par levels.