Patient Dining Assistant

Overview

Primary responsibilities will be to pass out menus and instruct each patient on the My Dining meal ordering system. The PDA will speak to each patient or care giver and verbally take each patient, guest, and/or family members diet specific food choices for each meal. This position is responsible for accurately processing and meticulously following all physician prescribed diets. The PDA then reaffirms all patient food requests by reading back the food choices to the patient. Upon agreement and patient confirmation, all choices are entered into the PDA’s IPad. The PDA will then print off all meal tickets, organize, and placed on the patient tray line. At posted times, the PDA will be responsible for building, delivering, scanning, and removal of patient trays. This position is responsible for processing and following all diet requests, while serving each patient/guest in a timely, professional, and efficient manner. The PDA is a patient advocate and takes ownership of patient concerns, and immediately makes independent decisions within scope of care and follows up each concern to a positive resolution. To conform to TJC standards, uses two patient identifiers to positively I.D. each patient and digitally scan each tray ticket before a meal is served. This person will act as a liaison between the patient, Nutritional Services, nursing, and any other department involved, creating a positive service culture. This will require independent thinking, multi-tasking, prioritization, and stringent time management and communication skills. Must be self-motivated and be able to work independently with minimal supervision. The primary responsibility of this position is direct one-on-one patient service which is intricately linked to Nutritional Service’s closely monitored patient satisfaction scores.

Responsibilities

Will require, being receptive to, and positively accepting working variable shifts where needed to adequately care for patients and all other areas of nutritional services.

Consistently serves each guest in a professional and efficient manner.

Instructs each guest, visitor, and family member on the My Dining meal system.

Delivers and picks up finished patient trays in a timely manner according to established time constraints.

Inventories, records, checks for out-of-date items, and replaces floor stock at established par levels on their designated nursing unit as needed.

Has knowledge of My Dining processes and all diet restrictions utilized by the patient, family member, or friend.

Have an issued Ascom phone, IPad, and scanner, with them while on duty.

Uses Meditech and views their status board often for updates regarding patient needs and limitations.

Delivers between meal nourishments (when needed) directly to each guest.

Responsible for Quality Assurance control points for the My Dining system ensuring all actions reflects goal of achieving a “5” on patient satisfaction goals including active P.I. meal round surveys.

Must participate as a team member by anticipating guest/team member needs and being proactive to the concern, i.e. – Every patient; on every floor/nursing unit; for all meals.

Working in the kitchen to dry trays, bag silverware, clean carts, empty retrieval carts, etc., daily as needed.

Demonstrates computer literacy to use an IPad computer and its software and Ascom phones.

Maintains performance, patient and employee satisfaction and financial standards as outlined in the performance evaluation.

Performs compliance requirements as outlined in the Employee Handbook

Must adhere to the DCH Behavioral Standards including creating positive relationships with patients/families, coworkers, colleagues and with self.

Requires use of electronic mail, time and attendance software, learning management software and intranet.

Must adhere to all DCH Health System policies and procedures.

All other duties as assigned regardless of assigned position for that day to ensure uninterrupted services.

DCH Standards:

• Maintains performance, patient and employee satisfaction and financial standards as outlined in the performance evaluation.
• Performs compliance requirements as outlined in the Employee Handbook.
• Must adhere to the DCH Behavioral Standards including creating positive relationships with patients/families, coworkers, colleagues and with self.
• Performs essential job functions in a manner that ensures the safety of patients, visitors and employees.
• Identifies and reduces unsafe practices that may result in harm to patients, visitors and employees.
• Recognizes and takes appropriate action to reduce risks and hazards to promote safety for patients, visitors and employees.
• Requires use of electronic mail, time and attendance software, learning management software and intranet.
• Must adhere to all DCH Health System policies and procedures.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

High school graduate or equivalent preferred. Must be able to read and write legibly, speak, and comprehend English and be able to follow written and oral instructions. Absolutely crucial to be able to have positive, verbal communication and one-on-one interaction, with different levels of patients, patient’s families, doctor’s, nursing, and other staff within the hospital setting. Knowledge and experience working with IPads and P.C.’s is strongly recommended. Working with IPads and computers and using cell-like phones are required. This position will require strong customer relations, communication, prioritization, time management and multi-task skills. Will be required to complete the ServSafe class within six months after hire and score a minimum of 75% on the written test.

WORKING CONDITIONS

WORK CONTEXT:

Interpersonal Relationships:

• Continually have contact with others
• Frequently deal with external and internal customers
• Occasionally deal with unpleasant, irrational, or angry people
• Frequently work with a group, team, or co-workers

Physical Work Conditions:

• Works Indoors in an environmentally controlled conditions
• Frequently works in physical proximity to others
• Occasionally will require using PPE’s to enter patient rooms
• Very frequently spends time bending or twisting the body
• Routinely spends time, kneeling, crouching, stooping, or crawling
• Frequently spends time making repetitive motions
• Continuous fast pace, high step count, walking
• Frequently have hands in water, cleaning solutions, and other chemicals.
• Continuous carrying an IPad across a shoulder or in hand

Structural Job Characteristics:

• High consequences for error
• Extremely high importance of being exact and accurate
• Routinely involves the importance of repeating same tasks

PHYSICAL FACTORS:

Dynamic Flexibility:

• Frequently able to repeatedly bend, stretch, or twist
• Often able to reach out with body and extremities

Extent Flexibility:

• Able to frequently bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body or extremities

Physical Activity requirements:

• Communicating; hearing; vision; bending; twisting; physical contact; continuous walking; standing for long periods; kneeling; crouching; stooping; pushing; crawling; lifting; reaching; grasping; holding; repetitive motion; using hands to handle; use of utensils and other pertinent tools; having hands in water, sanitizers, or other cleaning solutions; hand washing and/or hand gel.

Requirements:

• Medium work. Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
• Must be able to perform the duties with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Hearing and vision must be normal or corrected to within normal range.
• Physical presence onsite is essential

OTHER JOB FACTORS

Sensory Abilities:

• Finger/hand dexterity to be able to handle equipment, cell phone; computers
• Hearing and seeing

Mathematical Reasoning:

• Ability to count carbs, calories, fluids, I/O, galley sheets, etc.; and other patient needs.

Work Styles:

• Attention to Detail for all patient requests, needs, and issues.
• Cooperation and being pleasant and even tempered with patients, family members, doctors and co-workers.
• Integrity. Being honest and accountable for your actions