Food and Nutrition Representative

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under general supervision, the Patient Hospitality Service Representative is responsible for transporting, operating, and maintaining the Retherm (thermal trays) cart and its companion cart, providing individualized meal service to every patient, assembling patient meal trays following diet orders ensuring diet accuracy, consulting with nursing staff to maintain accurate patient information, collecting patient meal trays, and following established sanitation procedures for cleaning the Retherm Cart, companion cart, serving utensils, trays, dishes, and miscellaneous items used on the cart. Maintain and deliver nourishment supplies as ordered to patient floor units and record food, refrigerator, and freezer temperatures daily to ensure food safety.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

This position involves working independently. The individual must possess pride of ownership for the cart and the service that he/she provides to the patients, ensuring patient meal satisfaction is met. He/she must be self-motivated and self-directed and work well alone or in a group setting. He/she must be able and willing to perform multiple task assignments. He/she will occasionally be requested to mentor and train new employees. Duties include:

• Assemble meal service cart and its companion cart with all food items and condiments to match menu and diet orders.
• Adhere to safe food handling practices while maintaining food’s proper temperatures.
• Program and operate cart to refrigerate, heat and hold temperatures of food. Notify supervisor of malfunctioning of equipment upon observance.
• Transport meal cart and its companion cart without assistance to designated patient unit within scheduled time. Avoid unnecessary damage to cart, its equipment, the building’s walls, elevators, and doorways.
• Consult with nursing staff about any changes to patients that may affect meal service. Obtain all necessary information in writing by a nurse or physician. Refer complaints or problems to Patient Services Manager or Dietary Supervisor.
• Prepare cart food items for service. Match correct measure serving utensils to appropriate menu items. Record hot and cold food temperatures at the start and the end of meal service for every meal.
• Greet patients and communicate menu choices appropriate to their specific diet orders. Demonstrate knowledge of food being served, such as recipes and food identification. Refer to dietician when medical questions arise in patient’s diets.
• Assemble meal trays according to patient’s choices and diet order. Arrange food neatly and attractively on each plate and tray. Deliver meal trays. Ensure patients are satisfied with menu choices and service before exiting the room. Collect meal trays; discard food waste and disposable dinnerware and plasticware. Clean and sanitize carts, trays, china, flatware, serving utensils, and beverage urns. Reset cart completely for the next meal service.
• Conduct at least one Patient Satisfaction Survey per scheduled shift. Visit patients to discuss dietary issues such as quality of meal service, diet preferences, and comments. Record answers and forward completed surveys to Patient Services Manager.
• Provide clerical support services. Answer telephone courteously, identifying self and department at all times. Record and keep accurate patient data in the Diet Office and Dispatch logs.
• Deliver nourishments and floor stock to patient units. Maintain established par levels. Rotate stock and follow policy regarding expired food items. Record patient unit’s refrigerator and freezer temperatures daily.
• Prepare special infant and adult formulas, shakes, and tube feedings using a commercial blender. Maintain equipment, tools, and the formula room clean and sterile.
• Observe all of BMC’s behavioral standards. Report to work clean and neat in appearance, in authorized uniform attire for all scheduled shifts.
• Follow established hospital infection control and safety procedures. Follow established HACCP guidelines for food safety.

EDUCATION:

• High school diploma or GED is preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• Preferred: Minimum of two years’ experience in food service/customer service environment. Patient feeding experience with all age groups and diet experience preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Must possess knowledge of basic principles of nutrition, diets, recipes, food preparation, and service.
• Must be able to read, write, and communicate fluently in English.
• Ability to interact and communicate with patients, medical staff, dietary staff, and able to follow diet orders accurately.
• Must demonstrate effective interpersonal and communication skills with a background in customer or patient service.
• Must be able to follow the standards of federal, state and local regulatory agencies and JCAHO requirements for sanitation, food preparation, and handling.
• Must be able to lift up to 40lbs and transport the meal cart to unit floors for meal service without assistance.
• Position requires incumbent to walk and stand 95% of the time while engaged in job routine activities.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans