Dietary Aide

Job Purpose:Helps patients maintain nutrition standards by implementing special requirement directives of Dietician; responding to special patient requests; delivering meal and snack trays; recording patient food and liquid consumption from meal and snack trays; removing and cleaning trays and reusables according to established protocols.Duties:* Determines patient food preferences and special requests by dispensing and collecting menu selection forms; discussing menu choices and options; reminding patients of special dietary plan requirements designated by leading dietician; keeping patients informed of required dietary changes.* Provides patient nutrition by delivering meal and snack trays; verifying tray contents against food orders and dietician meal plans; ensuring that food is at the proper temperature; arranging food for appetizing presentation; ensuring that patient is comfortably positioned for proper digestion; offering help with opening packets and containers as determined by patient condition.* Retrieves patient meal trays by collecting and returning them to kitchen area; consolidating waste; following prescribed procedures for cleaning and sanitizing reusable items; storing reusable items.* Provides patient record information by logging patient dietary requirements; monitoring patient food consumption; completing forms, maintaining logs and records; recording changes in dietary requirements.* Maintains dietary department quality results by following standards.* Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols; following safety policies.* Maintains legal and accreditation compliance by maintaining patient confidentiality; adhering to policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and JCAHO standards.* Improves technical knowledge by attending in-house workshops; reading nutrition and food service publications.* Enhances dietary department and hospital reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.Skills/Qualifications:Nutrition, Hospital Environment, Health Promotion and Maintenance, People Skills, Bedside Manner, Attention to Detail, Discretion, Patience, Verbal Communication, Documentation Skills, Client Relationships