PRN Dietary Aide

General Summary: The Dietary Aide is responsible for assembling patient meal trays according to dietary orders. Responsible for set-up, breakdown, and sanitation of food and non-food items for patient meal services. Prepares food items for patients, employees, and visitors, including catering functions. Prepares and delivers snacks on a daily basis according to par levels. Also, may assist the Porter with cleaning dishes, silverware and pots and pans. The Dietary Aide is actively involved in department activities, transdisciplinary team activities, and LifeCare activities to ensure individualized, patient-centered health care for all patient populations admitted to LifeCare Hospital.

Patient Population: Has contact with patients in a non-clinical setting; understands and demonstrates appropriate behavior when interacting with patients in the adult (18-65 years of age) and geriatric (65 and older) populations.

Supervision: Not applicable

Standard Essential Functions
1. The knowledge and skills necessary to perform the position requirements are demonstrated through the successful completion of competencies established for the position, to include population served and other special needs of patients or customers, served by the department.
2. Adheres to LifeCare policies, procedures, all safety plans, and all standards imposed by regulatory organizations.
3. Regular attendance and timeliness is required.

Job-Specific Essential Functions
1. Performs a variety of food preparation duties to include, but not limited to, preparing patient trays according to patient menu and dietary orders; preparing and delivering snacks on a daily basis according to patients’ dietary needs/restrictions and par levels; ensures that proper serving techniques are followed; prepares a variety of foods according to customer’s orders, hospital provided recipe or supervisor’s instructions, following approved procedures; assisting cooks and other dietary staff with various tasks as needed and provides cooks with needed items.
2. Assists with inventory and stocks vending machines and/or kitchen; ensures kitchen and/or cafeteria are adequately stocked with items, and accessories such as utensils, napkins, and straws. Ensures that par levels are appropriate and notifies supervisor when supplies are getting low or equipment is not working properly.
3. Cleans and sanitizes work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, silverware, and trays.
4. Stores and labels food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage.
5. Greets patients, employees, and visitors in a courteous and respectful manner, responds with positive interpersonal skills and handles requests with a positive attitude.
6. Ensures safety at all times by notifying the supervisor of any risk factors seen, initiating, and maintaining appropriate safety measures.

Values
• We COLLABORATE: We develop our treatment plans in collaboration with physicians, clinicians, and patient's families.
• We ADVOCATE: We advocate on behalf of every patient and family.
• We RESPECT: We recognize and value the dignity, rights, and resources of each patient.
• We EDUCATE: We educate our team members and families with purpose and compassion.
• We SERVE: We serve as a TEAM with integrity at all levels focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for our patients.

Experience: One year of food service experience is preferred.

Education: High school diploma or equivalent is preferred.

Licensure/Certification: Meets local health requirements for food/safety handling as required by regulatory agencies.

Physical Requirements:
1. Ability to lift, move, transport and position equipment or supplies/materials up to fifty (50) pounds without assistance; or over fifty (50) pounds with the aid of mechanical assistance or assistance of personnel.
2. Range of motion and mobility of self by positioning or moving around hospital to include sitting, standing, walking, bending, squatting, stooping, kneeling, crawling, climbing, and reaching.
3. Ability to communicate with patients, families, physicians, co-workers, and visitors to be able to exchange accurate information. Ability to exchange and express information by means of language and communicate information effectively.
4. Ability to hear the nature of sounds. Ability to detect clinical alarms and conversation. Ability to give full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
5. Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
6. Ability to monitor/assess performance of yourself to make improvements or take corrective action.
7. Ability to see things at close range and match and/or detect differences between colors, including color and brightness.
8. Ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble small objects.
9. Ability to keep your hand steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
10. Ability to understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision making.
11. Ability to identify problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
12. Ability to respond to emergency or crisis in a calm and professional manner as a team member to resolve the crisis or emergency.
13. Ability to work independently and perform routine and detail-oriented tasks. Ability to manage one’s own time.
14. Ability to consider the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
15. Ability to collect and analyze numerical, written data and verbal communication to reach logical conclusions and ability to determine the time, place and sequence of operations or action.
16. Ability to review, assess, record or type data quickly and accurately.
17. Ability to view and operate required equipment.
18. Ability to determine the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
19. Ability to remain in a stationary position while performing job duties for extended periods of time.

Environmental/Working Conditions:
1. Category 2 - Infection exposure due to jobs in which required tasks do not normally involve exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues, but may require performing unplanned Category 1 tasks. In these jobs the normal work routine involves no exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues. However, potential exposure may be required as a condition of employment.
2. Ability to work alone or with minimal supervision.
3. Contact with patients, families, co-workers, physicians, and visitors.
4. Ability to work under and handle stress in an appropriate manner.
5. Ability to handle multiple tasks.
6. Ability to work long hours between breaks and/or meals may be required.
7. Exposure to high, medium, or low noise intensity.
8. Exposure to toxic/caustic/chemicals/detergents.
9. Exposure to very hot and cold temperatures.

Machinery/Tools/Equipment Requirements: Ability to operate telephone, fax machine, copy machine, computer, printer, and calculator.