Dietary-Cook

About the Role

Join Palestine Regional Medical Center in Palestine, TX, a 150-bed hospital that has recently earned the prestigious Leapfrog “A” Safety Grade, the Platinum Award for quality from parent-company ScionHealth, and certification as a Chest Pain Center and Level IV Trauma facility. Palestine Regional provides a range of comprehensive care, including the latest in diagnostic, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services, both on an inpatient and outpatient basis. This role prepares and serves food using proper food handling and safety techniques for patients, employees, and special functions, ensuring compliance with nutritional guidelines and safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Prepares food following department standardized recipes, planned menus, and policies and procedures.
• Serves and portions food per department standardized recipes, planned menus, and policies and procedures.
• Follows patient diet orders when serving food to patients.
• Uses production sheets to direct preparation and quantity of food to meet established meal times.
• Prepares and serves food at the proper temperature set forth by the FDA Food Code.
• Ensures food served to patients has been properly labeled per policy.
• Labels, dates, and stores food (including left-overs) properly according to proper cool-down techniques and established policies.
• Takes refrigerator/freezer temperatures twice a day and records temperatures on appropriate logs; reports any out-of-range temperatures immediately to supervisor.
• Assists in receiving, storing, and verifying invoices for incoming food and supplies as directed by supervisor/manager.
• Ensures an adequate supply of food and supplies is available at all times; reports inadequate stock levels to supervisor/manager.
• Uses food supplies and equipment in an efficient and economic manner to prevent waste.
• Keeps work area clean and uncluttered during preparation and service of food.
• Performs cleaning assignments according to established policies and utilizes proper cleaning chemicals.
• Performs duties using proper infection control techniques and protective equipment as needed.
• Washes dishes, pots, and pans according to established procedures for manual and/or automatic dishwashing.
• Takes dish machine temperature and/or sanitizer concentration prior to each use and records on log; reports issues immediately to supervisor.
• Stores dishes, pots, and pans in the proper location to prevent contamination.
• Operates equipment according to manufacturer and supervisory direction; maintains equipment in clean and safe operating condition.
• Reports all equipment problems immediately to supervisor.
• Maintains the security of the department and performs all duties using proper safety and sanitation techniques.
• Checks for new diet orders, discharges, and room changes prior to each meal tray line assembly in the medical record (if designated by supervisor).
• Assists patients with selective menus, including completion if needed.
• Uses menu management computerized program to update patient information, edit menus, enter selections, print menus/reports, and generate tray tickets (if designated by supervisor).
• Works cooperatively as a team member with co-workers in all hospital departments.
• Communicates issues, concerns, and opportunities for improvement to immediate supervisor routinely.
• Assumes leadership in the kitchen when assigned by supervisor.
• Participates in the hospital’s Performance Improvement program by collecting quality data when assigned.
• Participates in the survey process and corrective action plans as directed by supervisor.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent (or demonstrated ability to perform the essential functions of the role).
• Food Safety Certification from an accredited ANSI-CFP (upon hire or within facility-specified time frame).
• 1+ years of experience in quantity food production (hospital, nursing center, restaurant, hotel, or similar setting).
• Prior experience with therapeutic diets.

Skills

• Knowledge of therapeutic diets and texture/liquid modifications.
• Knowledge of safe food handling and federal, state, and city food codes and regulations.
• Knowledge of Kindred Nutrition & Culinary Services policies and procedures.
• Skilled in quantity cooking.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to be accurate, concise, and detail-oriented.
• Basic computer skills with working knowledge of Microsoft Office and ability to learn menu management systems.
• Understanding of principles of growth and development across the lifespan, with ability to provide care appropriate for adult and geriatric patients.
• Must read, write, and speak fluent English.
• Good and regular attendance.