Certified Dietary Manager (CDM)

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: Certified Dietary Manager

Department: Dietary

Supervisor: Administrator

General Description

• Responsible for the supervision and administration of the food service program

• Coordinate dietary services with other departments.

• Utilize knowledge of all phases of dietary services, including cooking and serving a variety of therapeutic diets for residents with specific dietary needs.

• Supervise cooks and dietary aides.

• Ensure high standards of sanitation, safety, and operation/care of dietary equipment.

• Maintain and strive to improve standards of food preparation and services.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.

• One year of demonstrated successful management experience in a health care facility.

• Good physical and mental health and evidence of maturity.

• Must have skills in working cooperatively with other department heads and have the ability to organize and carry out responsibilities efficiently and effectively.

• Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in a wide variety of circumstances, both verbally and in writing.

• Must have knowledge of employee relations, ethics, food sanitation, safety protocols, food and labor laws, housekeeping procedures and accepted food service techniques.

• Experience with basic principles of nutrition as related to menu planning, established patterns for modified diets, preparation of quality food, high standards of food services, and large scale purchasing/budgeting.

• Must be licensed CDM

Working Conditions

• Well-lighted, well-ventilated office space with privacy for interviewing, as well as kitchen in its entirety which may be subject to noise, distractions and interruptions; possibility of muscle strain from lifting or twisting exists; possibility of slips or falls due to kitchen floor conditions.

• Interacting with the general public, often in adverse conditions; many residents and their families are under emotional stress dealing with issues of illness, hospice, death and grief.

• Frequently changing conditions in which one must be attentive and able to respond appropriately.

• Constant necessity to respond maturely and effectively with residents, families, staff and other professionals.

• Appropriately represent facility in dress and demeanor.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.

• This position is very active and requires sitting, standing, walking, bending, twisting, kneeling, stooping, crouching, grasping, and carrying.

• The employee must frequently lift or move objects weighing over 35 pounds and occasionally objects up to 80 pounds.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.

Duties

• Specific duties are assigned at the discretion of the facility administrator and may be adjusted to meet the needs of the facility and the expertise of personnel available.

Dietary

• Coordinating dietary services with other services.

• Properly train staff and delegate workload.

• Evaluate new personnel as well as give orientation training, supervision and discipline.

• Train, supervise and evaluate personnel who are already employed.

• Instruct staff in the operation, care and maintenance of all kitchen equipment.

• Prepare schedules for all dietary staff.

• Supervise sanitation and housekeeping procedures.

• Maintain safety standards at all times.

• Working within given budget, purchase food and all other dietary supplies, as well as tracking inventory.

• Receive deliveries and check receipts against specifications.

• Maintain standard recipes and supervise their use.

• Contact residents who are receiving routine diets and/or selected menus for assessment of food.

• Maintain proper system for all resident diets as well as maintain updates on tray cards.

• Resident files must be kept on all diet changes.

• Develop work assignments for all dietary services personnel, which are: written, dated, and posted in the kitchen; based on the qualifications and competency of personnel; in keeping with the specific dietary needs of the patients; and made with the consideration of the physical size and layout of the facility.

• Ensure that nutrition counseling is provided to the residents who have prescribed dietary modifications and that such counseling is documented in residents medical record.

• If resident's condition prohibits such counseling, state the reason in the resident's medical record.

• Advise the attending physician or DON if nutritional requirements cannot be met through meals and supplemental feedings.

• Ensure that the facility's resident care policies and procedures and the policies and procedures developed by the infection control committee, which relate to dietary services are implemented.

• Provide copies of menus to diet aide to be placed on breakfast trays for residents to choose meals each day.

• Monitor menus delivered to residents to assure choices are available to each resident, interview resident's quarterly and review at quality assurance committee meetings.

• Assist in the development and approval of policies and procedures relating to department head duties.

• Serve on committees as required by statutes and regulations or as requested by the administrator.

• These and other duties as assigned.

Care Plan and Medical Records

• Establish a methodology for assessing the nutritional care component of the resident care plan, develop and implement this component for each resident and ensure that this plan is periodically reviewed and revised if necessary.

• Enter the appropriate information in sections applicable to dietary services for each resident within the appropriate time frame.

• Attend care plan team meetings, reviewing residents previous care plan and assessment.

In-Service Education

• Participate in all required in-service meetings

• Participate in selected continuing education programs if available.

Quality Assurance

• Participate in quality assurance program and attend scheduled meetings.

Responsibilities

• Understand and abide by established policies of the facility and interpret them to concerned parties.

• Maintain confidentiality of information; maintain a professional demeanor.

• Account for use of time, report sickness, and plan vacation and holiday time with administrator.

• Prepare all required reports and submit to administrator.

• Other specific duties as assigned by administrator