Nutrition Care Patient Services Representative

About the Role

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research, and education. This position provides exceptional patient service and nutritional care for patients in an inpatient care unit by ensuring the patient's dietary needs are met.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a liaison for the assigned inpatient care unit to ensure that meal service, orders, and delivery needs are met.
• Responds to meal service-related calls and pages from patients, helps resolve issues, or refers problems to the appropriate individual.
• Interacts and coordinates with doctors, nurses, dietitians, health care assistants, and health unit coordinators to ensure nutritional orders are accurate and patient dietary needs are met efficiently.
• Interacts with patients by explaining the Nutrition Care Services program, collects personal preferences, records meal requests, and personally delivers each meal of the day.
• Inputs special nutrition requests and personal preferences into the nutrition software system correctly and timely to ensure meals are delivered on schedule.
• Manages special requests made by patients or their families and determines when to refer questions to nutrition care technicians, dietitians, or department supervisors.
• Assists patients with making nutrition selections compliant with their diet.
• May collect trays and clean the patient care unit galley after meals.
• May prepare patient areas for trays prior to meals and deliver the appropriate tray to each patient.

Qualifications

• One year of customer service experience.
• One of the indicated food handling permits must be obtained within 30 days of employment.
• Incumbents assigned to patient care units must successfully complete a hospital-provided nutrition exam within one month of hire.

Licenses Required

• Current Utah Food Handler Permit or
• Current Food Protection Manager certification, accredited by ANSI.
• Additional license requirements as determined by the hiring department.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Food service experience.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

This position involves intermediate working conditions in a healthcare setting that may require lifting up to 50 pounds, standing, walking, and other physical activities for sustained periods. Employee must be able to meet these requirements with or without an accommodation.

Physical Requirements

• Carrying
• Climbing
• Color Determination
• Crawling
• Far Vision
• Lifting
• Listening
• Manual Dexterity
• Near Vision
• Pulling and/or Pushing
• Reaching
• Sitting
• Speaking
• Standing
• Stooping and Crouching
• Tasting or Smelling
• Walking

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job.
• Demonstrated communication and human relations skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of nutrition to understand special diet orders.
• Ability to work as a team player and individually.
• Ability to handle customer issues or complaints appropriately.