Food Service Worker

Rush Memorial Hospital; Rushville (IN); On-site; USD 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Rush Memorial Hospital is seeking a Food Service Worker to join the Dietary Team. The role supports patient and cafeteria service, follows standardized recipes, and ensures sanitation and safety throughout the shift.

Responsibilities include reading menus, preparing patient trays, and maintaining strict portion control and food safety standards in a fast-paced hospital environment.

Qualifications

• Must have high school diploma or equivalent.
• Two years of experience in food preparation in healthcare setting preferred.
• General knowledge of proper sanitation practices.
• General knowledge of cooking processes.
• Basic computer knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Washes hands at the beginning of shift and whenever necessary per infection prevention policy.
• Gloves are changed: as needed; before new task; after handling raw meat; before handling cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
• Sets up and uses hot soapy water for cleaning and sanitizing buckets at the beginning of the shift and changes frequently per policy.
• Wears hairnets at all times.
• Sets up work area in an organized manner for preparing current day’s items; gathers food items and necessary equipment.
• Review menus, prep sheets, and follow standardized recipes.
• Recipe manual must be visible and followed.
• Completes prep list items for the day.
• Understands preparation instructions for both patients and cafeteria.
• Adheres to patient serving schedule and time schedule.
• Controls waste by following portion control procedures daily.
• Must follow standardized recipes and portion control procedures.
• Uses leftovers by proper cooling, storage, and waste avoidance.
• Documents, reports and discards any unsatisfactory or spoiled food products.
• Maintains sanitation and food safety standards to prevent foodborne illness.
• Adheres to the production schedule and adjusts on demand with a positive attitude.
• Serves food at proper temperatures and calibrates thermometer daily.
• Stores, labels and wraps foods according to standards.
• Uses Fresh Date Labeling system correctly.
• Follows prep sheets to ensure items for following day are prepped.
• Maintains food temperature and takes action if out of range.
• Monitors and documents all food temperatures per safety guidelines.
• Documents patient information and requests for extra items from outside departments.
• Displays knowledge of therapeutic diets and can prepare patient trays using diet orders.
• Understands Indiana Diet Manual and diet terminology.
• Operates ovens correctly, performs register duties, and handles payments as needed.
• Follows daily cleaning and check-off lists.
• Takes direction from Lead Cook or Cook for service and tray delivery."
• Assists with stocking duties using FIFO and discards out dates.

Skills

Follow recipes

Follow instructions accurately

Driving RMH vehicle (if 21+)

Menu spreadsheets reading

Time management

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Basic computer knowledge

Job description

Description

Full-time days/evenings

Monday-Friday & every other weekend

10:00am-6:30pm

The Food Service Worker will assist the Dietary Team in preparing the daily menu for patients and hospital personnel. A general knowledge of diets and the ability to read and follow menu spreadsheets are important aspects of this position. The Food Service Worker maintains high quality standards of food production using standardized recipes, with the knowledge of sanitation practices and sanitary working conditions. Strong customer skills and the ability to perform work duties in a time sensitive environment are vital components for the Food Service Worker position.

Requirements

Knowledge & Experience

Skills-

• Demonstrates excellent ability to follow recipes.
• Demonstrates ability to give and follow instructions accurately.
• If age is 21 or older, driving record must meet standards in order to drive RMH vehicle.

Knowledge-

• General knowledge of proper sanitation practices.
• General knowledge of cooking processes.
• Basic computer knowledge.

Education-

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Experience-

• Two years of experience in food preparation in healthcare setting preferred, but not required.

Authority and Accountability

• Must be able to work independently.
• Must be able to work and communicate with different types of people.
• Frequent contact with various persons or groups within and outside of the hospital including employees, department managers, providers and outside agency personnel.

Aptitudes

• Must be able to prioritize, utilize critical thinking and adjust to change.
• Must have strong time management skills.
• Perform duties using good judgement to make independent decisions.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EFFORT

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of 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.

• Regular requirement to walk, stand, use hands, reach with hands or arms, talk and hear.
• Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision and the ability to focus.
• Speaking and listening skills are essential.
• Time management and multiple task management skills are essential.
• Frequent requirement to lift and/or move 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to read, write and do simple calculations.
• Must be able to follow written and oral instructions.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND WORKING CONDITIONS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Frequent exposure to moving mechanical parts.
• Occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, extreme cold and extreme heat.
• Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.
• Work schedule may vary in accordance with the responsibilities associated with the position.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Reports to the Nutritional Services Director.

QUALITY ASSURANCE-KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Washes hands at the beginning of shift and whenever necessary per the infection prevention policy.
2. Gloves are changed: 1) as soon as they become soiled or torn; 2) before beginning a new task; 3) after handling raw meat; and 4) before handling cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
3. Sets up and uses hot soapy water for cleaning and sanitizing buckets at the beginning of the shift and changes frequently per policy.
4. Wears hairnets at all times.
5. Sets up work area in an organized manner for preparing current day’s items; organizes work area before production, including gathering all food items and necessary equipment.
6. Review menus, prep sheets, and can follow standardized recipes.
7. Recipe manual must be visible and followed.
8. Completes prep list items for the day.
9. Understands preparation instructions. Will prepare and maintain for both patients and cafeteria.
10. Adheres to patient serving schedule and understands the importance of time schedule.
11. Controls waste by following portion control procedures each day.
12. Must be able to follow standardized recipes.
13. Understands and follows portion control procedures.
14. Utilizes leftovers by using the food safe cooling method, storing items properly and utilizing items as needed to avoid unnecessary waste.
15. Documents, reports and discards any unsatisfactory or spoiled food products.
16. Demonstrates the understanding of food sanitation and maintains sanitary working conditions, eliminating the risk of food borne illness.
17. Adheres to the production schedule for patients and cafeteria and is able to adjust on demand while maintaining a positive attitude.
18. Serves food at proper temperatures by not preparing cooked foods too far in advance.
19. Calibrates thermometer at least once daily, records and signs.
20. Properly stores, labels and wraps all foods according to the standards.
21. Has a full understanding on how to use our Fresh Date Labeling system and labels items correctly.
22. Follows all prep sheets daily, ensuring all items for the following day are prepped according to the food safety standards.
23. Holds food at proper temperature and takes appropriate actions when temperatures are outside of acceptable range.
24. Understands, monitors and documents all temperatures of all foods prepared following food safety guidelines.
25. Documents patient information and requests for extra items from outside departments on the proper forms.
26. Displays a general knowledge of the therapeutic diets and is able to prepare the patients tray using the menu spreadsheets according to the diet order.
27. Understands Indiana Diet Manual and familiar with terms and abbreviations used regarding diets.
28. Must have a good understanding on the use of all ovens.
29. Must be able to accurately perform register duties, to include credit card processing.
30. Follows and completes the daily cleaning.
31. Follows and completes the daily check off list.
32. Takes instructions from the Lead Cook or the Cook on how to serve food items in the cafeteria.
33. Delivers trays by knocking on the door, giving name, checking patients name, stating "May I help you with your meal set-up. Is there anything else I can get for you?"
34. Washes, sanitizes and after air drying puts away all dishes and small equipment.
35. Understands and can perform the stocking duties within and outside of the department by using the first in first out method and discarding out dates.
36. Assists with washing pots and pans and keeps equipment and utensils clean and neat when not in use.
37. Demonstrates working knowledge of the following:
38. Weights and measures.
39. Standardized Recipes.
40. Cooking terminology.
41. Time and motion skills.
42. Cooking methods for various types of foods.
43. Proper use of equipment.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

• Maintains effective channels of communication with other employees.
• Takes appropriate action in problem situations to minimize potential adverse effects.
• Projects a professional and positive attitude regarding the hospital.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Observes hospital dress guidelines and wears hospital issued identification badge.
• Is punctual for start of scheduled work time and provides proper notification for absences.
• Participates in emergency procedures, fire drills, evacuation procedures and other internal/external disaster responses.

CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

• Participates in the Continuous Quality Improvement Program under the direction of the Nutritional Services Director to meet stated goals and objectives of the Continuous Quality Improvement Program by:
• Observes hospital dress guidelines and wears hospital issued identification badge.
• Is punctual for start of scheduled work time and provides proper notification for absences.
• Participates in emergency procedures, fire drills, evacuation procedures and other internal/external disaster responses.