Diet Technician (0.5 FTE) - Day and Evening Shift, Every Other Weekend

Hennepin Healthcare; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Hennepin Healthcare is seeking a part-time Food and Nutrition Services assistant to support patient nutrition across ages. The role involves monitoring patient orders, assisting with nutrition screening, preparing menu corrections, and delivering trays in a patient-centered environment.

The position is in-person in Minneapolis, with weekday and every-other-weekend shifts, typically 8 hours per shift, 0.5 FTE (40 hours per pay period). Training and safety programs are provided.

Qualifications

• Minimum: student in a current dietetic program or an approved equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Preferred: completed dietetic/nutrition program; 3 months to 1 year hospital food service experience.

Responsibilities

• Monitors and maintains patient orders, admissions, discharges, and transfers using the electronic medical record and diet office software.
• Completes nutrition screening if applicable; assesses nutritional risk and notifies dietitian as needed.
• Calculates calories and communicates results as appropriate.
• Plans menus and ensures adherence to diet orders; checks trays for accuracy.
• Delivers and verifies enteral formulas when required.
• Answers call center inquiries and supports problem solving.
• Documents nutrition education in EMR and demonstrates age-appropriate service knowledge.
• Ensures proper food handling and presentation; visits patients for menu selection and satisfaction surveys.

Education

Student in a dietetic program

Approved equivalent education/experience

Completed dietetic/nutrition program

Job description

JOB DETAILS Department: Food and Nutrition Services FTE: 0.5 (40 hours per pay period) Workdays: Weekdays and Every Other Weekend Shift(s): Days, Evenings Shift Length: 8 hours Location: In-Person Purpose of this position: Under general supervision, assumes responsibility for the nutritional wellbeing of patients receiving sustenance provided by the Food and Nutrition Services Department or to coordinate daily operation of tray line service.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Monitors and maintains patient orders, admissions, discharges, and transfers using the electronic medical record in combination with the diet office software system
• May complete nutrition screening; determines the level of nutritional risk for patients, able to determine the needs of the age groups served and plan care based on the needs identified, and notifies the dietitian of patients deemed at nutritional risk who require attention
• May complete calorie count calculations and communicate results as appropriate
• Menu correction based on special diet needs
• Direct tray service; checks each tray for accuracy and adherence to diet order
• May prepare and deliver enteral formulas as appropriate
• Answers call center phone calls and problem solving
• May provide nutrition education as required; documents in the electronic medical record, demonstrates knowledge of the age appropriate range of services, treatment, or therapies
• Can make a determination of standard and substandard products
• Assures proper food handling and presentation
• Visits all ages of patients daily in assigned area for menu selection and to conduct patient satisfaction surveys
• Enters accurate diet orders, admissions, discharges, and transfer of patients into diet office software system and communicates change to tray serving area. Uses computer terminal to communicate with nursing units
• Conducts test trays for quality and accuracy of trays as served to patients
• Prepares menus for serving area in accordance with current diet orders
• Attends all required Safety Training programs and can describe his/her responsibilities related to general safety, department/service safety, specific job-related hazards
• Follows the Hospital Exposure Control Plans/Blood borne and Airborne Pathogens
• Demonstrates respect and regard for the dignity of all patients, families, visitors, and fellow employees to ensure a professional, responsible, and courteous environment
• Promotes effective working relations and works effectively as part of a department/unit team inter and intra departmentally to facilitate the department's/unit's ability to meet its goals and objectives

QUALIFICATIONS Minimum Qualifications:

• Student in a current dietetic program
• -OR-
• An approved equivalent combination of education and experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Completed dietetic/nutrition program
• Over three months to one year experience in hospital food service preferred