Dietary Director

Purpose of Your Job Position

The primary purpose of your job position is to assist the Dietitian in planning, organizing, developing and directing the overall operation of the Dietary Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations governing our facility, and as may be directed by the Administrator, to assure that quality nutritional services are provided on a daily basis and that the dietary department is maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.

Delegation of Authority

As the Dietary Director, you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.

Administrative Functions

• Assist in planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the Dietary Department, its programs and activities.
• Coordinate dietary services and activities with other related departments (i.e., Nursing, Housekeeping, Social Services, etc.).
• Assist in developing and maintaining written dietary policies and procedures.
• Assist in developing and maintaining written job descriptions and performance evaluations for each level of dietary personnel.
• Interpret the department's policies and procedures to employees, residents, visitors, government agencies, etc., as necessary.
• Assist the dietary staff in the development and use of departmental policies, procedures, equipment, supplies, etc.
• Assume the responsibility of obtaining/maintaining material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for hazardous chemicals used or stored in the dietary department.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing necessary forms, reports, evaluations, studies, etc., to assure control of equipment and supplies.
• Review the department's policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, etc., at least annually for revisions, and make recommendations to the Dietitian and/or Administrator.
• Develop and maintain a file of tested standard recipes.
• Keep abreast of economic conditions/situations and recommend to the Dietitian and/or Administrator adjustments in dietary services that assure the continued ability to provide daily dietary services.
• Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the Dietitian and/or Administrator as necessary/required concerning the operation of the Dietary Department.
• Submit accident/incident reports to the Human Resources Office within twenty-four (24) hours after their occurrence.
• Assume administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability of supervising the Dietary Department.
• Inspect food storage rooms, utility/janitorial closets, etc., for upkeep and supply control; assuring compliance with local/state/federal regulations.
• Review, assist in developing, and implement a plan of correction for dietary service deficiencies noted during survey inspections and provide a written copy of such to the Administrator.
• Process diet changes and assure new diets are served per physician order; as received from nursing services.
• Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job related dietary functions to ensure that tasks involving potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded.
• Review departmental complaints and grievances from personnel and make written reports to the Dietitian and/or Administrator of action(s) taken. Follow facility's established procedures.
• Assist in developing and implementing a dietary service organization structure.
• Assist the Quality Assessment and Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct dietary deficiencies.
• Assist in developing, implementing, and maintaining an ongoing quality assurance program for the Dietary Department.
• Assist the Discharge Planning Coordinator in planning the dietary services portion of the resident's discharge plan.
• Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies.
• Interview residents or family members, as necessary, to obtain diet history.
• Participate in maintaining records of the resident's food likes and dislikes.
• Assist in developing methods for determining quality and quantity of food served.
• Ensure that charted dietary progress notes are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident's response to the service.
• Ensure that menus are maintained and filed in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Maintain an adequate liaison with families and residents as necessary.
• Maintain a reference library of written material, laws, diet manuals, etc., necessary for complying with current standards and regulations and that will provide assistance in maintaining quality food service.
• Visit residents periodically to evaluate the quality of meals served, likes and dislikes, etc.
• Involve the resident/family in planning objectives and goals for the resident.
• Assist in planning regular and special diet menus as prescribed by the attending physician.
• Assist in developing diet plans for individual residents.
• Review therapeutic and regular diet plans and menus to assure they are in compliance with the physician's orders.
• Review the dietary requirements of each resident admitted to the facility, as may be required, and assist the attending physician in planning for the resident's prescribed diet plan.
• Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, as well as other related departments in planning food service programs and activities.
• Ensure that residents are offered a nourishing snack at bedtime.
• Others as deemed necessary and appropriate, or as may be directed by the Administrator and/or Dietitian.

Committee Functions

• Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the facility (i.e., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Budget, Quality Assessment and Assurance, etc.) as required, and as appointed by the Administrator.
• Provide written and/or oral reports of the dietary service programs and activities as required or as may be directed by such committee(s).
• Evaluate and implement recommendations from established committees as they may pertain to dietary services.
• Meet with dietary personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis, solicit advice from inter-department supervisors concerning the operation of the Dietary Department, assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the methods of improvement of services.
• Attend department head meetings, etc., as scheduled or as may be called.
• Schedule and announce departmental meeting times, dates, places, etc.

Personnel Functions

• Assist in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of dietary personnel.
• Determine departmental staffing requirements necessary to meet the Dietary Department's needs, and assign a sufficient number of dietary personnel for each tour of duty.
• Recommend to the Administrator the number and level of dietary personnel to be employed.
• Schedule department work hours (including vacation and holiday schedules), personnel, work assignments, etc., to expedite work.
• Delegate administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability to other dietary personnel as deemed necessary to perform their assigned duties (i.e., head cook, cooks, etc.).
• Counsel/discipline dietary personnel as requested or as necessary.
• Terminate employment of personnel when necessary, documenting and coordinating such actions with the Personnel Director and/or Administrator.
• Assist in standardizing the methods in which dietary tasks will be performed.
• Review and check competence of dietary personnel and make necessary adjustments/corrections as required or that may become necessary.
• Maintain a productive working relationship with other department supervisors and coordinate dietary services to assure that daily dietary services can be performed without interruption.
• Ensure that appropriate identification documents are presented prior to employment and that such records are maintained in the employee's personnel record.
• Make daily rounds to assure that dietary personnel are performing required duties and to assure that appropriate dietary procedures are being rendered to meet the needs of the facility.
• Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest, and positive emphasis as well as a calm environment throughout the facility.
• Assist in establishing a food service production line, etc., to assure that meals are prepared on time.
• Monitor absenteeism to ensure that an adequate number of dietary service personnel are on duty at all times.
• Conduct departmental performance evaluations in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures.
• Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures governing accidents and incidents.

Staff Development

• Assist in the development of and participate in the planning, conducting, and scheduling of timely in-service training classes that provide instructions on "how to do the job," and that ensure a well-educated dietary services department.
• Assist in developing, implementing, and maintaining an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to the department, its policies and procedures, and to his/her job position and duties.
• Provide leadership training that includes the administrative and supervisory principles essential for the Dietary Department.
• Encourage the dietary staff to attend and participate in training programs. Schedule times as appropriate.
• Assist support services in developing, implementing, and conducting in-service training programs that relate to the Dietary Department.
• Attend and participate in continuing educational programs designed to keep you abreast of changes in your profession, as well as to maintain your license on a current status.
• Ensure that all dietary personnel attend and participate in annual Haz Com, blood borne pathogens, and TB in-service training programs.
• Ensure that dietary personnel are trained to use labels and MSDSs to recognize hazards and to follow appropriate protective measures.

Safety and Sanitation

• Assist the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for the Dietary Department.
• Monitor dietary service personnel to assure that they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.
• Ensure that dietary service work areas are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.
• Ensure that all food storage rooms, preparation areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.
• Ensure that dietary personnel performing tasks that may involve exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals participate in appropriate in-service training programs prior to performing such tasks.
• Ensure that all dietary service personnel follow established departmental policies and procedures, including appropriate dress codes.
• Ensure that dietary service personnel participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drills.