Diet Aide

St. Charles Health System; Madras (OR); On-site; USD 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Charles Health System is seeking a Diet Aide to be the patient’s first contact in the food service department. You will answer room service calls, input patient meal orders, and ensure dietary restrictions are followed.

This role supports nursing staff and maintains safe food handling practices. The Diet Aide will work with the dietary team to provide nourishment while adhering to hospital standards and confidentiality.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED preferred.
• Experience in hospital or long-term care diet environment a plus.
• Current county food handler’s card required.
• ServSafe Manager Certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Answer patient room service calls and take food orders.
• Enter patient orders accurately into the POS system.
• Review and apply dietary restrictions for patient orders.
• Coordinate with nursing staff to confirm dietary approvals.
• Prepare/assist with special diet needs as directed.
• Maintain HACCP-compliant safe food handling and sanitation.
• Deliver meals within established service times and assist as needed.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Phone etiquette

Dietary knowledge

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

POS system

Job description

The Diet Aide is the patient’s first point of contact with the food service department, and serves as a customer service champion. The Diet Aide answers incoming room service calls from patients, nurses, and dietitians and places patient food orders. This position does not directly supervise any other caregivers.

Essential Functions And Duties

• Answers incoming phone lines from patient rooms to take food orders from patients and staff. Inputs patient’s menu order utilizing point of sale ordering system
• Enters patient’s meal orders accurately and efficiently into point of sale system while on the phone with the patient or staff member. Reviews patient’s dietary restrictions at time of order to ensure food orders meet dietary requirements. Recommends alternate menus if patient requests are not in compliance with dietary restrictions. The Diet Aide will request the patient’s assigned nurse to review and approve the patient’s request to if it is not in alignment with the patient’s diet restrictions.
• Maintains knowledge of therapeutic diets and menu items to ensure patient’s diet restrictions are adhered to. Understands and researches diet restrictions to ensure patients have opportunity for nourishment by coordinating food choices with nursing staff
• Prepares special diet needs, such as tube feeding, when directed. Enters appropriate charges for tube feeding
• Stores and handles all food properly following the guidelines of Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP)
• Maintains clean work areas, including work surfaces, floors, walls and equipment in compliance with St. Charles Health System standards and Oregon Food Sanitation standards
• Provides support to other areas of food services as directed by manager, supervisor or coordinator including delivery of food to patients, as needed during high volume times
• Supports the vision, mission and values of the organization in all respects.
• Supports Value Improvement Practice (VIP- Lean) principles of continuous improvement with energy and enthusiasm, functioning as a champion of change.
• Provides and maintains a safe environment for caregivers, patients and guests.
• Conducts all activities with the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality. Complies with all applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures, supporting the organization’s corporate integrity efforts by acting in an ethical and appropriate manner, reporting known or suspected violation of applicable rules, and cooperating fully with all organizational investigations and proceedings.
• Delivers customer service and/or patient care in a manner that promotes goodwill, is timely, efficient and accurate.
• May perform additional duties of similar complexity within the organization, as required or assigned.

Education

• Required: N/A
• Preferred: High school diploma or GED

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION

• Required: Current county food handler’s card
• Preferred: ServSafe Manager Certification

Experience

• Required: N/A
• Preferred: Minimum 1 year of hospital or nursing home with diet experience