Nutrition Care Associate

Nutrition Care Associate

Requisition Number: 3827
Job Title: Nutrition Care Associate
Department: UUH IPC 15E NUTR CARE SVC PAT
Reg / Temp: Regular
Employment Type: Full Time
Shift: Days
Work Schedule: 7:00a-5:30p, 4 Days a week
Location: UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL - 50 NORTH MEDICAL DRIVE
City: SALT LAKE CITY
State: UTAH

Job Description:
: As a patient-focused organization, the University of Utah Health Sciences exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. The Health Sciences Center seeks faculty and staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, diversity, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission.

Position Summary:

This position responds to and resolves day-to-day issues with meal orders and delivery, prepares and delivers meals on the patient care unit or at espresso carts or delis. In patient care units, Nutrition Care Associates are responsible for providing nutritional care for patients.

This position is responsible for providing care to patients.

Essential Functions:

- Serves as a liaison on the patient care unit to ensure that meal service, order, and delivery needs are met. Responsible for responding to meal service related calls and pages from patients and Health Unit Coordinators. Resolves the problem or refers it to the appropriate individual.
- Coordinates with other Nutrition Care staff to ensure that special needs patients are seen by Nutrition Care Technicians or Clinical Nutritionist. Ensures that menu items, stock items and trays are delivered and picked up from the unit in a timely fashion.
- Collects information on patient preferences and menu selections and enters into department computer system. Checks for admissions and discharges and updates computer with this information.
- Prepares and delivers patient snacks and special orders on the patient care unit.
- Orders, puts away, and rotates patient care unit inventory.
- Prepares patient areas for trays prior to meals and delivers trays to patients.
- Records caloric counts.
- Collects trays and cleans patient care unit galley after meals.
- Knowledge / Skills / Abilities:

- Ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined above.
- Basic math and computer skills.
- Demonstrated communication and human relations skills.
- Must handle issues associated with the operation of assigned areas, including customer service, and stocking of supplies, with minimal direct supervision.
- Ability to appropriately handle customer issues or complaints.
- Ability to perform and/or coordinates the activities of others to ensure proper functioning when operating under conditions of staff shortages.
- Ability to manage special requests made by patients or their families and determines when to refer questions to Nutrition Care Technicians or department supervisors.
- This position involves lifting and/or pushing heavy supply containers, equipment, and food carts.
- Incumbents may face exposure to items discarded on patient trays, including soiled bandages and tubing, spilled medications, body fluids, and patient care equipment such as needles, clamps, and scissors. They may also face exposure to potentially dangerous cleaning chemicals used for sanitation, as well as equipment and supply hazards such as wet or hot work surfaces and sharp edges on food wrap containers or open cans, meat slicers, and food processors.

Qualifications:
Required
- Six months of food service, customer service experience or equivalency.
- Current food service worker's permit.
- Incumbents assigned to patient care units must successfully complete a hospital provided nutrition exam within one month of hire.

Preferred
- Knowledge of medical terminology.