Dietary Aide

BETHEL LUTHERAN HOME

POSITION: Dietary Aide

DEPARTMENT: Dietary

SUPERVISOR: Dietary Manager

WORK AREA: Kitchen & Dining Rooms throughout the Bethel Community

WORK HOURS: Rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The Dietary Aide performs a variety of basic food service tasks including cleaning, set up, and food distribution.

WORK PERFORMED:

The following is not an all-inclusive list of work duties, but the main highlights of the position:

1. Essential Functions:
   1. Assist cook and others as needed in areas of food preparation, works in dish room; serve food to residents; clean tables and dishes; perform daily and weekly cleaning assignments. Operate various electrical and mechanical equipment.
   2. Wait on and serve residents in the dining room at breakfast, lunch, and supper meal times. Practices proper sanitation techniques.
   3. Prepares food items, such as sandwiches, salads, desserts, and beverages. Prepare pureed desserts, thickened drinks, and nourishments for residents.
   4. Deliver and serve meals to Assisted Living and Apartment residents, followed by cleaning and adhering to appropriate cleaning and sanitizing techniques.
   5. Cleans dining room tables, counters, equipment and walls. Clean and sanitize work areas. Sweep and mop floors to prepare dining room for the next meals.
   6. Scrapes trays/dishes, washes dishes. Follow appropriate sanitization procedures and protocol in cleaning, washing and putting away dishes. Follow dish machine requirements. Report any equipment problems to Dietary Manager.
   7. Collect and place garbage and trash in designated containers.
   8. Adheres to and promotes the established values of the organization, i.e., safety, corporate compliance, customer service, etc.
   9. Demonstrate respect and regard for the dignity of all residents, families, visitors and fellow employees to insure a professional, responsible and courteous environment.
   10. Attend all required safety training programs and be able to describe his/her responsibilities related to general safety, department/service safety, and specific job-related hazards.
   11. Follow Bethel Community exposure control plans, blood borne and airborne pathogens.

1. Physical & Mental Working Requirements:
   1. Frequently required to move equipment weighing over 50 pounds.
   2. Frequently required to rotate torso in all directions.
   3. Frequently required to push and pull items weighing greater than 25 pounds.
   4. Frequently required to bend and stoop.
   5. Frequently required to squat, crouch, and kneel.
   6. Manual dexterity, coordination and skillful use of hands when working with patient and equipment, which may include pushing buttons, adjusting dials, turning on/off switches, etc.
   7. Visual and hearing senses must be adequate to provide services.
   8. Must be able to work alone in a restricted area, performing repetitive work for extended periods of time. Must be able to concentrate on work tasks amidst distractions, and foot traffic.
   9. Must possess the ability to maintain a calm, efficient and professional demeanor at all times, especially during emotional and chaotic situations.
   10. You are subject to exposure to infectious waste and diseases, including TB and the Hepatitis B virus.
   11. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

1. Leadership Competencies: All Bethel staff are required to follow and uphold Bethel Community’s mission, vision, and values; behavioral standards; policies and procedures; and the code of conduct. In addition, the following competencies are expectations for all employees:
   1. Courteous: Employee is courteous in interactions with customers, which include residents, residents’ families, physicians, fellow employees and community members.
   2. Respectful and Confidential: Employee respects the rights of privacy of our residents, their families, and fellow employees.
   3. Ensures cultural differences are respected. Refrains from disruptive and disrespectful behavior which may include, but is not limited to:
      1. Obstruction of the operation of Bethel.
      2. Interference with the ability of others to do their jobs.
      3. Creation of a “disruptive work environment” for Bethel staff (including volunteers), or medical staff.
      4. Conduct adversely affecting or impacting the community’s confidence in Bethel’s ability to provide quality care.
      5. Attacks (verbal or physical) leveled at any member of Bethel staff, medical staff, residents or their families, which are personal or beyond the bounds of fair, professional conduct.
      6. Inappropriate comments or illustrations made in patient medical records or other official documents impugning the quality of care at Bethel, or attacking specific physicians or Bethel staff.
      7. Non-constructive criticism addressed to the recipient in such a way as to intimidate, undermine confidence, belittle or to suggest stupidity or incompetence.
      8. Disruptive and disrespectful behavior includes statements that are generated verbally, in writing or electronically in any form, including e-mail, text messages, social network sites and blogs.
   4. Responsive: Employee responds quickly, graciously and appropriately to customer needs.
   5. Gratitude and Attitude: Employee’s behavior shows that he/she believes that each of us controls our own attitude and that what is important is not so much as what happens to us, but how we choose to react to it.
   6. Pride, Ownership and Image: Employee accepts all the rights and responsibilities of being part of the Bethel family.
   7. Communication: Employee is personally accountable for positive communication with the customer, which may include the residents, their families, co-workers, and community members.
   8. Teamwork: Employee contributes positively to the Bethel team and is committed to treating coworkers with courtesy, honesty, and respect. Employee abides by the Attendance Policy. Employee has team pride in the purpose of our work: our residents.
   9. Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; able to handle frequent change; delays; or unexpected events.

QUALIFICATIONS:

High school graduate or equivalent preferred, with completion of on-the-job training in principles of food cooking preferred.

Must be able to read, write, and speak English as well as understand and follow written and oral directions.

Ability to communicate and work as a team player to promote a good work environment.

Ability to handle confidential information.