Nutrition Assistant II

St Joseph Medical Center; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is seeking a Nutrition Assistant II to support healthcare food service operations and ensure therapeutic diet compliance for patients and guests. You will prepare and serve meals within dietary guidelines and respond to allergy questions.

You will use electronic diet tools and the EHR to access diet orders, gather patient preferences, and maintain food temperatures and hygiene standards.

Qualifications

• One (1) year of Food Service Experience required.
• High School Graduate General Studies preferred.

Responsibilities

• Follow therapeutic diet modifications and allergy restrictions for patient meals.
• Print, provide and follow production tools and/or electronic meal tallies/differentials.
• Explain basic therapeutic diet orders and respond to questions from patients and family.
• Collect patient food preferences and ensure compliance with prescribed diet orders.
• Operate electronic diet office software and tools following established procedures.
• Navigate electronic health records to access patient diet orders and nutritional reports.
• Perform general cleaning of equipment and work areas such as tray line and storage areas.

Skills

Food service

Customer service

Food safety

Dietary knowledge

Education

High School Graduate

Tools

Electronic diet office software

Electronic health records

Job description

Job Summary and Responsibilities

As our Nutrition Assistant II, you will articipate and support all aspects of healthcare food service operations. The Nutrition Assistant II works with facility staff to provide optimal nutritional care and demonstrates excellent customer service to patients, guests and staff. Follows diet manual handbook and diet spreadsheets to ensure therapeutic meal compliance with prescribed diet order.

Every day you will prepare and serves food within guidelines of menu and dietary requirements using required kitchen utensils and equipment. Maintains knowledge of recipe ingredients to respond to food allergy questions or requests.

To be successful in this role you will follow the healthcare food service industry standards, regulations, guidelines and procedures including monitoring and maintaining food temperatures during cooking, holding, and storage processes. Avoids cross-contamination of foods and adheres to personal hygiene requirements. Maintains proper labeling of food products and ensures storage of food equipment, and machinery per regulations and facility guidelines.

You will follow organizational standards and guidelines for a high quality patient and customer experience. Ensures proper meal portioning and an aesthetically pleasing presentation. Provides service recovery efforts and escalates to leadership as needed.

May be responsible for one or more of the following:

• Following therapeutic diet modifications and guidelines including allergy restrictions for all patient meal trays, nourishment, snacks and supplements
• Printing, providing and following production tool and/or electronic meal tallies/differentials for food preparation
• Explaining basic therapeutic diet orders and menus and responding to questions from patients and family members. Escalating additional patient nutrition questions or needs to appropriate clinical support team members.
• Collecting patient food preferences and ensuring compliance with prescribed diet orders. Distributing food preferences to the kitchen for menu planning in a timely manner.
• Operating electronic diet office software and tools following established procedures and protocols.
• Navigating electronic health records to access patient diet orders and nutritional reports.
• Performing general cleaning of equipment and work areas (e.g., cleaning the tray line, equipment, coolers, office area, and emptying trash cans, etc.)

Job Requirements

Education/Experience:

One (1) year of Food Service Experience required and

High School Graduate General Studies preferred

Where You'll Work

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has a rich history of providing exceptional healthcare, dating back to 1891. Building upon a legacy of compassionate care and innovation, our organization has evolved over the years through strategic partnerships and integrations to expand our reach and services across the Puget Sound area.

Today, as Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, we remain deeply committed to healing the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – in the communities we serve. This commitment is strengthened by the diverse expertise and shared values brought together through our growth.

Our dedicated providers offer a full spectrum of health care services, from routine wellness to complex disease management, all grounded in rigorous research and education. Our comprehensive network of 10 hospitals and nearly 300 care sites strategically located across the greater Puget Sound region reflects our ongoing commitment to accessibility and comprehensive care.

We are proud of our pioneering medical advances and numerous awards and accreditations that reflect our dedication to excellence. When you join Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, you become part of a team that delivers top-quality, professional healthcare in modern, well-equipped facilities, and contributes to a legacy of service built on collaboration and shared purpose.