Patient Dietary Assistant

The University of Kansas Health System; United States; On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Kansas Health System is seeking a Patient Dietary Assistant for the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit. The role supports dietary and nutritional care, conducts nutrition screening, assists patients with menu selections, and helps with meal service while monitoring consumption and safety.

Responsibilities include coordinating with the Rehab dietitian and patient food service staff to ensure high-quality care.

Qualifications

• High School Graduate or GED.
• 3+ years of food service experience in hospital or long-term care preferred.
• 2+ years of data entry experience.
• Ability to read and write English; ability to speak and understand English.

Responsibilities

• Performs nutrition screening to identify patients at nutrition risk.
• Communicates with patients and families about food service processes and menu choices.
• Assists patients with appropriate food selections based on diet orders.
• Serves meals and snacks, monitors food intake and service quality, and records intake.

Skills

English language proficiency

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Position Title Patient Dietary Assistant Acute Inpatient Rehab

Position Summary / Career Interest: The Patient Dietary Assistant supports the dietary and nutritional care of patients on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit. The position is responsible for nutrition screening, assisting patients with menu selections, providing meal service, and monitoring patient food intake. The position acts as the liaison between the patient, the dietitian, and the patient food service department.

Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions

• Performs appropriate nutrition screening to identify patients at nutrition risk based upon criteria from the dietician.
• Communicates with patients and their families about the food service process including menu choices and hours of service.
• Assists patients with appropriate food selections based on the diet order.
• Serves meals and snacks to patients, observing and documenting food intake, monitoring for appropriate food and beverage consistencies and textures, and monitoring the patient’s response to care.
• Deliver and evaluate patient consumption of oral supplements as per diet order.
• Maintains appropriate Rehab unit floor stock of food and supplies.
• Records temperatures of refrigerators and freezers.
• Transports patient food carts from the kitchen to nursing unit.
• Retrieves soiled trays from patient rooms, and transports food carts and soiled trays from nursing units to the kitchen.
• Serves as liaison between the patient, the Rehab dietitian, and patient food service staff and works collaboratively to provide nutritional care to patients.
• Performs service recovery as needed with a positive outcome for the patient.
• Participates in departmental or Rehab unit activities to facilitate optimal patient care and operations, including participation in quality focus teams, committees, recipe tasting, and revisions/updates to department policies and procedures.
• Relays concerns about nutritional needs or safety of patients to the Supervisor or other appropriate leader.
• Must be able to perform the professional, clinical and or technical competencies of the assigned unit or department.

These statements are intended to describe the essential functions of the job and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities.

Skills and duties may vary dependent upon your department or unit.

Other duties may be assigned as required.

Required Education and Experience

High School Graduate or GED.

Preferred Education and Experience

3 or more years of food service experience particularly in a hospital or long-term care setting. 2 or more years of data entry experience.

Knowledge Requirements

Ability to read and write English. Ability to speak and understand English.

Time Type: Full time

Job Requisition ID: R-54073

Important information for you to know as you apply:

The health system is an equal employment opportunity employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally-protected status. See also Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. The health system provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need to request reasonable accommodations for your disability as you navigate the recruitment process, please let our recruiters know by requesting an Accommodation Request form using this link [e-mail]. Employment with the health system is contingent upon, among other things, agreeing to the health-system-dispute-resolution-program.pdf and signing the agreement to the DRP.

About The University of Kansas Health System

As part of the region’s premier academic medical center, The University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City is a world-class healthcare provider and destination for complex care and diagnosis. We are driven by our commitment to service, continuous improvement and to the highest degree of excellence. Collaboration between physicians, nurses, researchers, educators and other professionals who share their expertise leads to exciting discoveries and life-changing treatments for the people we serve.