Dietary Aide

Overview

Participates as needed to prepare and serves palatable, nourishing, well-balanced meals to meet the daily nutritional and special dietary needs for each resident. Assists in dishwashing operation and cleaning tasks.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent preferred. One-year experience in food service institutional setting preferred.
• Basic understanding of nutrition and therapeutic diets
• Excellent interpersonal, organization and communication skills.
• Understanding of person centered care.
• Able to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
• Working knowledge and ability to apply professional standards of practice in job situations.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Advantage Living Centers expects their employees to promote an atmosphere of teamwork, exemplify the values of CARING (Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Integrity, Nimbleness and Generosity and uphold the pursuit of creating a person-centered culture for Residents and Team Members. To perform this job successfully, an individual must also be able to perform each key function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the key functions.

Care and Services:

• Handles and stores all food according to facility procedures and safe food handling guidelines.
• Assists with food preparation as assigned by supervisor
• Prepare food items according to the standardized recipes insuring safe food handling practices.
• Uses food supplies and equipment in an efficient and economic manner to prevent waste.
• Operates institutional food preparation and cleaning equipment (including dish machine) according to manufacturer and supervisory direction. Follows proper cleaning and preventative maintenance schedules.
• Assists with the set-up of the food tray line or set up of buffet dining
• Assembles meals and trays for residents according to the facility procedures.
• Delivers snacks and supplements according to facility procedures.
• Verifies that each resident is receiving the correct diet and tray/meal.
• Handles, stores and disposes of raw and prepared food items in accordance with company and facility procedures and in compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Maintains food service equipment in clean and safe condition at all times according to facility procedures. Reports all equipment problems to supervisor promptly.
• Maintains food service work spaces in clean and safe condition at all times according to facility procedures. Cleans work-spaces and cooking and serving equipment according to department procedures.
• Cleans dishes, utensils and equipment according to facility procedures.
• Reports all equipment problems to supervisor immediately.
• Reports any signs of rodent or pests to supervisor immediately.
• Reports injuries of self or co-workers to supervisor immediately.
• Communicates with supervisor throughout shift to maximize resident satisfaction.
• Assists the Dietary Manager with state inspection preparation. Attends survey training and interacts with surveyors as instructed.
• Attends in-service education programs as assigned. Applies knowledge to job.
• Performs other duties and tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Resident Rights: Promotes and protects resident’s rights; supports the resident in the exercise of his or her rights. assists residents to make informed decisions; treats residents with dignity and respect; protects resident’s personal belongings; reports suspected abuse neglect, exploitation or misappropriation of property; avoids the need for physical restraints in accordance with current professional standards; supports independent expression, choice and decision-making consistent with applicable law and regulation.

Leadership: Demonstrates willingness to try new tasks; generates new ideas for change; evaluates and recognizes priorities; challenges others to learn; keeps current and integrates new information; communicates and models organization values; fosters high performance.

Process Improvement: Applies process improvement methods and techniques and identifies processes for improvement in daily work.

Environment of Care and Safety: Assures resident environment is safe and takes necessary steps to intervene if an unsafe situation is identified; demonstrates understanding of fire and emergency procedures; participates in fire and disaster drills; demonstrates understanding of safety and security procedures; applies safety and security precautions; demonstrates understanding of hazardous materials plan; demonstrates proper use of equipment.

Infection Control: Applies hand washing principles during daily work; demonstrates understanding of isolation precautions; recognizes signs and symptoms of infection and complies with the employee health program; demonstrates understanding of the process for identifying and handling infectious waste; maintains personal hygiene; complies with OSHA standards in the work place; and demonstrates understanding of cross-contamination.

Information Management: Enters or records data timely and accurately; protects confidentiality of patient information; protects data against loss or destruction; logs onto the system using own password; logs off the system when leaving the work station; reports suspected violation of security/confidentiality issues; reviews data and identifies trends.

Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates active listening techniques; gains support through effective relationships; treats others with dignity and respect; seeks feedback; sets clear standards for performance; evaluates job performance and provides effective feedback; establishes systems to measure effectiveness, efficiency, and service; creates and maintains reporting mechanisms.

Continuing Education: Attends in-service, continuing education and education programs.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here representative those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand and walk. Stooping, bending, lifting and carrying, as well as other physical demands may be required. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described are representative of those and employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles and toxic or caustic chemicals. The noises level in the work environment is usually moderate.