Dietary Aide

Position Summary

The Dietary Aide works under the supervision of the Dietary Supervisor to prepare meals, help in cleaning/maintaining kitchen, serving food to residents, taking stock of kitchen supplies and food in accordance to federal, state regulations and facility policies and procedures.

Position Responsibilities

• Has primary responsibility of helping prepare and serve food for residents. Common responsibilities for Dietary Aide’s include (but are not limited to):
• Promotes and maintains a focus of patient-centered care
• Adheres to laws, rules & regulations and practices ethical integrity and interpersonal skills
• Maintains compliance with long-term care regulations including federal, state and health regulations
• Preparing meals using standards to maintain quality and sanitation
• Recording meals accurately and monitoring food temperatures
• Recording information of the patient and notifying the supervisor of any unusual or changing conditions
• Conferring with residents in order to get a good idea about their food likes and dislikes
• Reading and knowing the care plan to identify chronic illnesses and food allergies of the resident(s)
• Washing dishes and/or utensils in a way that is in line with acceptable practice standards
• Monitoring patient’s condition by properly observing the mental and physical condition and intake and output
• Ensure detailed dietary charting per resident is complete and accurate using the appropriate format and process as required
• Use best practices prepping, preparing food including proper food temperature including following safety guidelines when working, and avoiding any food contamination by storing it properly
• Making sure that patients do eat their meals to ascertain their proper caloric intake
• Respectfully talking to patients before, after and during meal times
• Cleaning food preparation areas to make sure that hygiene standards are fulfilled
• Perform position duties in a manner as to assure resident safety and rights are priority
• Adheres to the facility corporate compliance program and promotes the program in a positive and effective manner
• Performs other position-related duties as assigned, depending on assignment/shift setting

Other Responsibilities

• Follows facility OSHA safety rules and procedures
• Follows facility policies and procedures and adheres to federal and state regulations for long-term care
• Respects cultural and religious practices of patients
• Upholds HIPAA regulations
• Maintains a punctual and dependable attendance record

Position Requirements

• High School graduate or GED
• Eighteen (18) years or older
• Ability to read and comprehend common recipes
• Good customer service skills
• Ability to work efficiently and quickly
• Federal, State, and MHI required credentials current and on file
• Able to read and write consistent with the job requirements, cognitive skills as related to the position
• Proficient interpersonal relations and communicative skills

Working Conditions

Because the patients need round-the clock care, working hours include days, nights, weekends and holidays. The number of patients assigned per shift will vary with facility and specialty, if applicable. The Dietary Staff must guard against back injury because they may have to assist with food delivery, disposal, storage and inventory; they must follow proper body mechanics and procedures for lifting/moving food product and supplies. Employees are encouraged to safely move food product and supplies and use alternative methods whenever possible; alternative methods include requesting assistance to roll/lift/transfer merchandize. Dietary Staff may face hazards from exposure to chemicals and infectious diseases. In addition, the population cared for will contain patients that are confused, irrational, agitated, and/or uncooperative.

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift fifty (50) pounds. Moving, lifting or transferring of food product/supplies may involve lifting of up to one- hundred (100) pounds
• Ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull or carry food product/supplies
• Ability to use abdominal and lower back muscles over time without fatigue
• Ability to stand for extended periods
• Ability to bend, stoop, stretch, twist, sit, and reach
• Deal with extreme temperature shifts
• Fine motor skills
• Visual acuity

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach forward with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit and stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and may lift and/or move 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Physical Demand Ratings are an estimate of the overall strength requirements that are consider to be important for an average, successful work performance of a specific job. The overall physical demand rating for Dietary Staff falls within the Medium classification. However, this position has been classified as Heavy (exerting 50 to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 20 to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or 10 to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects).

Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work.