Dietary Technician Skilled Nursing

Purpose

The primary purpose of this position is to assist 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 the facility, 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.

Essential Job Functions Duties and Responsibilities

Dietary Functions

1. Assist in planning, organizing, developing, and directing the Dining Services Department programs and activities.
2. Develop, review and maintain written dietary policies and procedures. Interpret the department’s policies and procedure to employees, residents, visitors, government agencies, etc.
3. Inspect food storage rooms for upkeep and supply control. Make recommendations as appropriate.
4. Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies. Review and develop a plan of correction for dietary service deficiencies noted during survey inspections.
5. Schedule visits to ensure that the dietetic service needs of the facility are met.
6. Interview residents or family members to obtain diet history. Participate in maintaining records of the resident’s food likes and dislikes. Involve the resident/family in planning dietary objectives and goals for the resident. Assist in developing diet plans for individual residents.
7. Assist in developing methods for determining quality and quantity of food served.
8. Ensure that charted dietary progress notes are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident’s response to the service.
9. Ensure that menus are maintained and filed in accordance with established policies and procedures.
10. 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.
11. Assist in planning regular and special diet menus as prescribed by the attending physician. Review therapeutic and regular diet plans and menus to ensure they are in compliance with the physician’s orders.
12. Assist in establishing a food service production line, etc., to ensure that meals are prepared on time.

Personnel Functions

1. Determine departmental staffing requirements necessary to meet the department's needs, and assign a sufficient number of dietary personnel for each shift. Recommend to the Executive Director the number and experience level of dietary personnel needed. Assist in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of dietary personnel.
2. Develop, plan, conduct, and schedule relevant in-service training and orientation classes that provide instructions on how to do the job, proper equipment use, hazardous materials and safety.
3. Provide instructions on food ordering topics.
4. Assist in staff development. Formally and informally monitor performance personnel and ensure adjustments/corrections are made by using coaching, counseling, and discipline methods. Work with the Executive Director to resolve staff performance issues including those that may lead to termination.

Safety and Sanitation

1. Assist in developing, implementing, and maintaining a program for monitoring communicable and/or infectious diseases among residents and staff with the Safety Officer. Ensure that the facility's dining services policies and procedures identify the safety precautions and equipment to use when performing tasks that could result in bodily injury.
2. Ensure that dietary service work areas, food storage rooms, preparation areas, etc. are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.
3. Ensure personnel follow safety regulations and protocols in the use of equipment and supplies or tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals.
4. Assist 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.

Care Plan and Assessment

1. Assist in developing preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the nutritional needs of each resident.
2. Review nurses' notes to determine if the care plan is being followed.
3. Ensure that the care plan identifies any special equipment and utensils the resident may need (e. g., plate guard, enlarged silverware handles, etc.).
4. Ensure that all dietary personnel are aware of the care plan and that care plans are used in planning daily dietary services for the resident.
5. Review and revise care plans and assessments as necessary, but at least quarterly.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Must possess the ability to make independent decisions, follow instructions, and accept constructive criticism. Must be able to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel, and the general public. Must be able to work with ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and potentially hostile people within the facility. Must be able to speak, write and understand English in a manner that is sufficient for effective communication with supervisors, employees, residents, and families.

Education and Experience

A Bachelor’s Degree in Dietetics from an accredited college or university

Prefer experience in a supervisory capacity in a hospital, skilled nursing care facility, or other related industry.

Must have training in cost control, food management, diet therapy, etc.

Must be able to read and interpret dietary cost reports, financial data, etc.

Licensing/Certifications

License to practice as a dietitian in this state.