Patient Dining Associate

Patient Food Service Position

Provides patient food services to assigned group of patient care units, e.g., menu selections, tray assembly, tray delivery and pick up, special requests and needs, and in-between meal food delivery.

Minimum Qualifications

Work Experience: Previous institutional or fast food kitchen experience preferred.

Education: High school graduate or equivalent preferred.

Certifications/Licensure: None

Job Specific Performance Standards

The duties listed below are a summary of the major essential functions of this position. The position may require other duties, both major and minor, that are not mentioned, and specific functions may change from time to time.

• Takes patient menu selections prior to each meal. Exhibits a friendly, caring attitude to patients when introducing the Catering to You Program. Delivers trays, inquires during catering rounds, and retrieves trays. Responsive to patient's needs at all times. Resolves patient concerns or complaints immediately and/or reports needed assistance to supervisor as appropriate.
• Complies with dietary restrictions on therapeutic and modified diets to ensure optimal food preferences are met within guidelines of diet order limitations. Interacts and communicates with Dietitian and Nutrition Tech to ensure accuracy and patient safety.
• Offers alternatives to menu as allowed on prescribed diet in accordance with food allergies and sensitivities, cultural, ethnic and religious preferences, when patient inquires or needs additional selections.
• Assembles trays according to patient menu on tray tickets in a timely and accurate manner.
• Interacts with Nursing personnel to ensure patients' diet prescriptions are accurate, and patients' food needs are met.
• Completes catering rounds after passing trays to inquire if patient needs anything. Retrieves trays from patients' rooms shortly after completing rounds.
• Maintains accurate and current information for each patient on assigned unit(s).
• Communicates any patient related problems/concerns to appropriate personnel, in a timely manner following departmental procedures.
• Complies with federal, state and local health and sanitation regulations and department sanitation procedures.
• Maintains a clean and sanitary work environment. Identifies and utilizes cleaning chemicals following directions recommended by manufacturers and per MSDS sheets.