Nutrition Assistant

Nutrition Assistant

At Houston Methodist, the Nutrition Assistant position is responsible for educating the patient on the dining services programs/process, is the initial point of contact for problem resolution, and assures that information regarding the diet is accurate. This position is available to assist the patient with menu selection specific to their physician prescribed diet order, ensure timely meal/tray delivery, and monitor feedback for improvement in selection and quality.

The Nutrition Assistant position is responsible for correcting issues relayed from patients to appropriate staff and communicates with peers and management regarding identified hazards in the workplace, following correct procedures in sanitation of work areas as appropriate. This position follows all department policies and procedures and complies with the local relevant Food Ordinances.

Qualifications:

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)

• One year of customer service or hospitality experience preferred

Licenses and Certifications

Required:

• Must have one of the following certifications:
  • Food Handlers Permit - Accredited food handler training course approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services (TXDSHS) or by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
  • Certified Food Manager - Obtain in 90 days;
  Once Food Service Manager Certification is obtained, Food Handler Permit is no longer required;
  Food Service Manager must be renewed every 5 years

Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
• Must possess good communication skills and be able to work in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrates good judgment in professional decision-making
• Demonstrates skills and ability to obtain as well as analyze pertinent information in order to make informed decisions
• Demonstrates active listening skills giving full attention to what other people are saying
• Demonstrates the skills and ability to take appropriate follow-up action to ensure that the workload is processed and identified discrepancies are resolved within established time frames
• Demonstrates good judgment in professional decision-making

Essential Functions:

• Greets patients, using their name whenever possible, and educates them on the dining services programs/process, specific to their physician prescribed diet order when available. Interacts in a positive, professional manner with patients, family and staff. Communicates clearly and professionally to nursing, interprofessional staff and peers to promote both work efforts and problem resolution.
• Serves as the first point of contact for all complaints involving patient Food Services. Follows through with resolving any problems and communicating to management when patient food service problems are identified.
• Communicates pertinent information, e.g., difficulty eating, poor appetite, nourishment concerns, formula usage, requests to see the Dietitian, etc., to ensure proper handling and processing of information.
• Contributes towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.
• Assures that all new admits receive information regarding the operation of the dining services program and their prescribed diets. Assists and accommodates patients, as needed, with information regarding their diets, e.g., answering questions about their menu selections, placing their order using computerized software, meal ordering directions and problems, etc. Distributes tube feedings, nourishments/supplements, fruit…