Patient Dining Assistant (Per Diem)

Primary Responsibilities

• Pass out menus and instruct each patient on the My Dining meal ordering system.
• Speak to each patient or caregiver and verbally take their diet-specific food choices for each meal.
• Accurately process and meticulously follow all physician prescribed diets.
• Reaffirm all patient food requests by reading back the food choices to the patient upon agreement and confirmation.
• Enter all choices into the PDA’s iPad.
• Print off all meal tickets, organize, and place them on the patient tray line.
• Build, deliver, scan, and remove patient trays at posted times.
• Process and follow all diet requests, serving each patient/guest in a timely, professional, and efficient manner.
• Take ownership of patient concerns, making independent decisions within scope of care and following up to a positive resolution.
• Use two patient identifiers to positively identify each patient and digitally scan each tray ticket before a meal is served.
• Act as a liaison between the patient, Nutritional Services, nursing, and any other department involved, fostering a positive service culture.
• Work independently with minimal supervision, managing variable shifts to care for patients and all areas of nutritional services.
• Serve guests professionally and efficiently, instructing them on the My Dining meal system.
• Deliver and pick up finished patient trays in a timely manner according to established time constraints.
• Inventories, records, checks for out-of-date items, and replaces floor stock at designated par levels on their nursing unit as needed.
• Has knowledge of My Dining processes and all diet restrictions utilized by the patient, family member, or friend.
• Uses an issued Ascom phone, iPad, and scanner while on duty.
• Uses Meditech and views their status board often for updates regarding patient needs and limitations.
• Delivers between meal nourishments (when needed) directly to each guest.
• Responsible for Quality Assurance control points for the My Dining system, ensuring all actions reflect goal of achieving a “5” on patient satisfaction goals including active P.I. meal round surveys.
• Anticipates guest/team member needs and is proactive to concerns.
• Demonstrates computer literacy to use an iPad computer and its software and Ascom phones.
• Maintains performance, patient, and employee satisfaction and financial standards as outlined in the performance evaluation.
• Performs compliance requirements as outlined in the Employee Handbook.
• Adheres to the DCH Behavioral Standards including creating positive relationships with patients/families, coworkers, colleagues, and with self.
• Requires use of electronic mail, time and attendance software, learning management software, and intranet.
• Adheres to all DCH Health System policies and procedures.
• Performs other duties as assigned regardless of assigned position for that day to ensure uninterrupted services.

  Qualifications

  • High school graduate or equivalent preferred.
  • Ability to read, write, and comprehend English.
  • Positive, verbal communication and one-on-one interaction skills, especially with different levels of patients, patient's families, doctors, and staff within the hospital setting.
  • Knowledge and experience working with IPads and PCs is strongly recommended.
  • Strong customer relations, communication, prioritization, time management, and multi-tasking skills.
  • Completes the ServSafe class within six months after hire and scores a minimum of 75% on the written test.