Food Service Worker II

MedStar Health; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 24,264 - 34,558; Full time

Job summary

MedStar Health is seeking a food service associate to prepare, assemble, deliver and serve patient and retail meals in a hospital environment. You will coordinate with nursing staff on patient diets and ensure accurate tray delivery while maintaining food safety standards.

The role requires 1–2 years in food preparation, with preference for hospital dietary and catering experience, and involves cash handling in retail settings. High school diploma or GED is required.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years food preparation experience required.
• Large-scale hospital dietary experience preferred.
• Catering experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist in menu selection, tray assembly, delivery and pick-up.
• Interact with nursing staff and catering team regarding patient nutrition needs.
• Operate cash registers and address customer service issues.
• Maintain sanitation and HACCP compliance in kitchen/service areas.

Skills

Food preparation

Customer service

Teamwork

Sanitation/HACCP

Basic math

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Sanitation and Food Handlers course

Job description

About the Job

Responsible for patient meal service food on assigned units e.g. menu selections, tray assembly, tray delivery and pick‑up, special requests and needs in‑between meal food delivery. Communicates patient food issues/concerns and needs to appropriate persons within the Food and Nutrition department.

Interacts with nursing personnel with regard to patient nutrition needs or requirements. Assists Dietitian with monitoring of patients NPO, clear liquid and full liquid diets and records food intake for patients on intake analysis.

Sets up, prepares and delivers food for catering events. Acts as a liaison between Food Services and the hospital staff and external customers.

Sets up, prepares, delivers and serves to retail customers in the Brown Bag and CCC cafeterias and the physician lounges. Handles customer service complaints and informs management of problems or concerns.

Operates cash registers in compliance with cash handling procedures. Maintains all equipment in a safe and sanitary manner in compliance with HACCP guidelines and all applicable laws and regulatory agency regulations.

These functions are performed in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations and Georgetown University Hospital's philosophy, policies, procedures and standards.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Makes daily rounds to assigned nursing units, communicates with staff and patients, collects menus and checks menus for accuracy and completeness. Receives and prints diet sheets from SMS and distributes to appropriate catering personnel daily. Prints and distributes change orders as appropriate.
• Assists patients in meal selection and completion of menu as needed, taking preferences and special diets into account. Enter menu selections for non‑catering floors into the Computrition system, prints out menus and meal tickets and distributes to appropriate persons. Updates Computrition with any other relevant patient information as necessary. Must display knowledge of all therapeutic diets.
• Assembles meal trays while strictly adhering to mealtime schedules affecting service to patients and customers.
• Accurately serves trays making sure that each tray is delivered to the appropriate person at the right time while carefully observing the patient's right to privacy and consideration.
• Ensures that each of the food items placed on the tray meets the standards for appearance, temperature and accuracy.
• Collects patient meal trays and documents food intake as ordered.
• Answers phone calls from the nursing units making any last‑minute changes to patient's diet and communicates changes to the catering associates. Communicates any patient problems and concerns to the appropriate persons.
• Performs dipper and runner position responsibilities. Works in dish room. Delivers floor stock and nourishments to drop‑off units.
• Follows recipes for salad, sandwich and dessert preparation.
• Sets up dessert and sandwich beverage refrigeration and snack and condiment stations and all other stations including hot food items and disposable products.
• Uses all the displays for the flavors being served for yogurt, soup and any other specials.
• Verifies cashier's box and properly programs register if needed five minutes prior to meal service.
• Maintains orderly uniform and personal grooming habits while working efficiently as a team member.
• Sets up and prepares food for catering events per established orders and timeframes.
• Delivers necessary materials and food to the appropriate area.
• Ensures that food items, utensils and decorative items placed on the table meet the standards for temperature and appearance according to established protocols.
• Handles customer service complaints, informs appropriate management of problems and/or concerns of guests.
• Maintains proper standards of sanitation by daily cleaning of the work area: refrigerators, food carts etc., and sweeps and mops the kitchen and food preparation area.
• Gives completed catering slips to appropriate employee to ensure correct and immediate billing for catering services.
• Exemplifies Commitment to Caring (PATIENT EXPERIENCE SERVICE STANDARDS AND SPIRIT VALUES AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN PATIENT SAFETY STANDARDS AND TASKS.) standards in all activities. Assumes other duties and responsibilities that are appropriate to the position and area. The above responsibilities are a general description of the level and nature of the work assigned to this classification and is not to be considered as all‑inclusive.

Minimal Qualifications

Education

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Completion of Sanitation and Food Handlers course preferred.

Experience

• 1–2 years food preparation experience required.
• Large‑scale food preparation and/or hospital dietary experience. Previous catering experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of a variety of foods, their preparation and serving etiquette.
• Ability to handle heavy workload.
• Basic knowledge of sanitary methods used in food preparation; knowledge of safety precautions and HACCP procedures in cooking food preferred.
• Must be able to follow directions, understand written and oral instructions and have basic mathematical skills.
• Must be courteous and tactful in dealing with customers.
• Must be able to exercise good judgment and initiative in satisfying customer requests.
• Must meet competency requirements for patient dietary needs.

This position has a hiring range of USD $21.35 - USD $21.35 /Hr.