Patient Meal Coordinator & Nutrition Support

Baystate Health; Springfield (MA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Baystate Health is seeking a Nutrition Assistant to assist patients with meal selections, guided by Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) orders, and to support nursing and Clinical Nutrition Team. The role emphasizes customer service and effective intra- and inter-department communication to ensure quality patient care and satisfaction.

Responsibilities include assessing patients, guiding diet-compliant meals, documenting intake, and coordinating with clinicians.

Qualifications

• Able to speak, write and comprehend English.
• Basic math skills.
• Ability to follow directions.
• Excellent verbal communication skills.
• Familiarly with using Windows based software.

Responsibilities

• Assesses patients for appropriateness for food selections.
• Assist patients and family with meal selections when indicated, offering suggestions as to what types of foods would be appropriate on a specific diet type.
• Provides guidance and encourages patients and/or family to select foods that meet MNT orders. Recommends alternatives.
• Communicates consistent food choice and/or intake problems to clinical nutrition team and nursing.
• Delivers supplements to patients, assists nursing in verifying consumption, uses double identifiers for distribution of nourishments.
• Uses dual identifiers when assisting a patient to order their food.
• Ensures completeness and accuracy of tray and assists patients with tray set up when needed.
• Records supplement, fluid and meal intake. Records calorie count when ordered.
• Reports patient meal problems to dieticians, follows up with dieticians when patient has not ordered for 2 meal periods, uses the C-Bord program to maintain records.
• Provide accurate and complete information for production area to streamline tray assembly; keep waste low by coordinating with MHU discharges.
• Work with nursing to improve communication between areas for patient care.
• Uses status icons on C-Bord, including refused tray; provides trays only after diet changes are updated by clinician.
• Inserts tray tickets following standards with correct item placement on the tray.
• Follows pre-determined ticket setup for hot items and cold items to streamline assembly.
• Distributes tube feedings on floors at scheduled times.
• Uses hand held technology for inputting patient meals in C-Bord and checks allergies.
• Attends nursing practice meetings to discuss process improvements.
• Re-institute test tray program and document results for monthly reporting.
• Follow up with patients using satisfaction surveys to improve service quality.
• Demonstrates service excellence to support patient experience and SPIRIT program.

Skills

English proficiency

Basic math

Follow directions

Verbal communication

Windows software

Job description

Baystate Health is seeking a Nutrition Assistant to assist patients with meal selections, guided by Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) orders, and to support nursing and Clinical Nutrition Team. The role emphasizes customer service and effective intra- and inter-department communication to ensure quality patient care and satisfaction.

Responsibilities include assessing patients, guiding diet-compliant meals, documenting intake, and coordinating with clinicians.