ST. CHARLES HEALTH SYSTEM

JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE:                                       Diet Aide                            

REPORTS TO POSITION:         Food Services Manager

DEPARTMENT:                         Food Services

DATE LAST REVIEWED:          August 2024

OUR VISION:                Creating America’s healthiest community, together

OUR MISSION:             In the spirit of love and compassion, better health, better care, better value

OUR VALUES:              Accountability, Caring and Teamwork

DEPARTMENTAL SUMMARY: The Food Services Department is a high volume service department that provides world class food and beverage services including patient room service, café, deli and catering.

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Diet Aide is the patient’s first point of contact with the food service department, and serves as a customer service champion.  The Diet Aide answers incoming room service calls from patients, nurses, and dietitians and places patient food orders. This position does not directly supervise any other caregivers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES:

Answers incoming phone lines from patient rooms to take food orders from patients and staff.  Inputs patient’s menu order utilizing point of sale ordering system

Enters patient’s meal orders accurately and efficiently into point of sale system while on the phone with the patient or staff member.  Reviews patient’s dietary restrictions at time of order to ensure food orders meet dietary requirements. Recommends alternate menus if patient requests are not in compliance with dietary restrictions.  The Diet Aide will request the patient’s assigned nurse to review and approve the patient’s request to if it is not in alignment with the patient’s diet restrictions. 

Maintains knowledge of therapeutic diets and menu items to ensure patient’s diet restrictions are adhered to.  Understands and researches diet restrictions to ensure patients have opportunity for nourishment by coordinating food choices with nursing staff

Prepares special diet needs, such as tube feeding, when directed.  Enters appropriate charges for tube feeding

Stores and handles all food properly following the guidelines of Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP)

Maintains clean work areas, including work surfaces, floors, walls and equipment in compliance with St. Charles Health System standards and Oregon Food Sanitation standards

Provides support to other areas of food services as directed by manager, supervisor or coordinator including delivery of food to patients, as needed during high volume times

Supports the vision, mission and values of the organization in all respects.

Supports Value Improvement Practice (VIP- Lean) principles of continuous improvement with energy and enthusiasm, functioning as a champion of change.

Provides and maintains a safe environment for caregivers, patients and guests.

Conducts all activities with the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality.  Complies with all applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures, supporting the organization’s corporate integrity efforts by acting in an ethical and appropriate manner, reporting known or suspected violation of applicable rules, and cooperating fully with all organizational investigations and proceedings.

Delivers customer service and/or patient care in a manner that promotes goodwill, is timely, efficient and accurate. 

May perform additional duties of similar complexity within the organization, as required or assigned.

EDUCATION

Required:  N/A

Preferred: High school diploma or GED

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION

Required: Current county food handler’s card

Preferred: ServSafe Manager Certification

EXPERIENCE

Required: N/A              

Preferred: Minimum 1 year of hospital or nursing home with diet experience

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Must be able to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required to perform the job safely.

ADDITIONAL POSITION INFORMATION

Skills:

General

Must have excellent communication skills and ability to interact with a diverse population and professionally represent

St. Charles Health System.

Ability to multi-task and work independently 

Strong team working and collaborative skills

Ability to work in a stressful, fast paced environment while maintaining attention to detail and a high customer service level

Strong analytical, problem solving and decision making skills

Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft applications (Word, Excel and Access), and ability to track financial costing

Position Specific

Excellent customer service

Understanding of gavage feeding and special diets in a therapeutic environment

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Continually (75% or more): Standing and walking, lifting/carrying/pushing or pulling 1-10 pounds, grasping/squeezing.

Frequently (50%): Sitting, bending, stooping/kneeling/crouching, climbing stairs, lifting/carrying/pushing or pulling 11-25 pounds.

Occasionally (25%): Climbing ladder/step-stool, reaching overhead, lifting/carrying/pushing or pulling 25-50 pounds, operation of a motor vehicle, using clear and audible speaking voice and ability to hear normal speech level.

Rarely (10%): Keyboard operation.

Never (0%):  Ability to hear whispered speech level.

Exposure to Elemental Factors

Occasionally (25%): Heat, cold, wet/slippery area, noise, dust, vibration, chemical solution, uneven surface.

Blood-Borne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure Category

Risk for Exposure to BBP

.

Schedule Weekly Hours:

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