Nutrition Assistant PRN (sjrmc)

Job Description

Creating Life Better Here starts with you. At San Juan Regional Medical Center, we're more than a healthcare provider—we're a values-driven organization dedicated to delivering exceptional care. As a team member, you help fulfill our mission to make life better here for our community.

The Nutrition Assistant provides meal service to patients with compassion and caring, honoring food and cultural choices; promoting health and healing through nutrition.

Required Behaviors:

• As you go about fulfilling this mission, your work habits and work relationships should embody SJRMC's values.  These values are our culture, our identity as an organization.  Sacred Trust, Personal Reverence, Thoughtful Anticipation, Team Accountability and Creative Vitality ask more of us than merely completing some list of tasks.  Our values ask for a deeper level of commitment, and what is asked of us we freely give because we believe in our mission.

Required Qualifications:

• Must have food handler permit issued by accredited provider by 1st day worked:      (JOB IS FROM: nursingjobs.siteVIEWhttps://www.env.nm.gov/fod/Food_Program/Regulation_Update.htm)
• Must be over eighteen (18) years old
• Must work well in a team
• Ability to prioritize
• Excellent customer service skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• General computer skills
• Basic knowledge of prescription diets

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Personal Hygiene: Demonstrates proper hand hygiene. Washes in and washes out when entering and leaving patient room. Changes gloves as appropriate and between tasks as appropriate. Hairnet or cap always worn.
• Sanitation: Maintains a clean and sanitary environment throughout shift. Spills wiped up immediately. Food objects on floor picked up immediately. Cleans and sanitizes equipment each shift as indicated by cleaning logs. Log documentation reflects equipment condition.
• Use of Equipment: Uses equipment safely and properly. Reports any equipment issues to supervisor.
• Food Safety: Follows safe food handling guidelines. Applies food certification training to task completion throughout shift.
• Patient Menus: Delivers appropriate menu to new patients and those with a diet change. Explains the ordering process to patient/family. Assists patients who are unable to call with menu selection each meal. Enters meals in GEMserve computer software following nutrient limits for special diets.
• Room Service Center: Answers phones promptly and courteously. Guides patient through menu selection adhering to nutrient limits for special diets.
• Tray Assembly: Assists with patient meal tray assembly at any station as needed. Checks patient meal trays for accuracy, completeness, and quality.
• Food Service to Patients: Delivers patient meal trays and snacks at the time requested by patient or the designated meal wave. Verifies patient’s name and date of birth with tray ticket each time patient is served. When appropriate moves tray table to patient and sets up tray. Alerts nursing staff if patient needs assistance with meals. Adheres to posted signage including NPO and Aspiration Precautions; checks with nursing if discrepancy noted. Retrieves patient meal trays within one hour of delivery and returns soiled meal trays to dish room. Records patient meal intakes in electronic medical record for each meal. Records calorie counts when ordered.
• Works with Clinical Nutrition Department for the exceptional care of patient. Notifies Dietitian verbally or in writing of patient with poor intake or eating difficulties.
• Nourishment Stock and Temperatures: Takes count of nourishment items daily per par list and delivers stock to units assigned. Cleans refrigerator. Labels, dates, and rotates product. Discards outdated items and food of unknown origin. Records temperatures of assigned refrigerators 100% of the time; alerts supervisor immediately if a problem is noted.
• Completes all logs and documentation in a timely manner, such as tray line cleaning.
• Physician Lounge: Maintains snack jars and retrieves breakfast items.
• Other Duties as Assigned: Demonstrates willingness and follows through with other assigned duties.
• Teamwork: Demonstrates cooperation and willingness to always help coworkers.
• Department Education: Attends department in-services and meetings. Participates in QA/PI programs when assigned.
• HealthStream: All assigned HealthStream modules successfully completed on time.
• Each employee is responsible for implementing SJRMC’s Service Standards into their daily work:

                                                     Safety, Courtesy, Effectiveness, and Stewardship

Physical Demands and Environmental Work Conditions:

• Frequent prolonged standing and walking
• Frequent pushing/pulling loaded meal cart under one hundred (100) pounds
• Routine exposure to heat, humidity, and odors in kitchen and on patient units