About Us

FOOD SERVICES AIDE

JOB DESCRIPTION

Name: Date of Hire:

Nursing Center: Department:

Shift Assignment: Duty Hours:

SUMMARY

Assists with food preparation in accordance with our established procedural guidelines, and as may be directed by the Food Services Manager.

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

Non-exempt Status: May be required to work beyond normal working hours and on weekends and holidays when necessary. Subject to callback during any emergency.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Reports to Food Services Manager

PRIDE VALUES

P - P ROFESSIONALISM “ The expertise, qualities and conduct that characterize a member of a profession"

R - R ESPECT “ A positive feeling of esteem for a person or other entity”

I - I NTEGRITY “Honesty and consistency to a set of values”

D - D ILIGENE “ Constant and earnest effort applied to perform a task or accomplish a goal”

E - E XCELLENCE “ The quality or state of being outstanding or superior ”

ESSENTIAL SKILL/KNOWLEDGE FUNCTIONS

• Assists cook in preparing desserts or snacks for patients.
• Assists cook in preparation of meals.
• Carries trays to patients on halls.
• Cleans tables in the dining area after each meal.
• Helps with salads and desserts and other dishes.
• Assists with the pouring of juice, milk, water, and tea.
• Serves patients beverages, etc.
• Takes meals out to patients in dining area.
• Prepares between-meal nourishments (make sandwiches, etc.).
• Cleans work area at the end of shift and after meals, including sweeping and mopping.
• Removes garbage from kitchen areas and hoses out garbage containers.
• Complies with infection control policies in the work area.
• Scrapes dishes, washes dishes, pots and pans.
• Records freezer and walk-in refrigerator temperatures in accordance with established procedures.
• Checks stock as needed.
• Puts up stock in appropriate manner.
• Stores cleaning materials appropriately.
• Sets up tray line and performs tray line service.
• Follows diet orders and NPO diet orders.
• Offers menu substitutions and records them in accordance with procedural guidelines.
• Properly stores leftovers/opened food.
• Serves nourishments in accordance with procedural guidelines.
• Makes coffee/tea as requested.
• Follows procedures for serving associate meals.
• Cleans kitchen equipment such as, carts, tables, counters, ice machine, buckets, blender, mixer, meat slicer, freezer, refrigerator, stove, oven, steamer, garbage disposal, dish machine coffee/tea maker, steam table etc.
• Operates the dish machine, garbage disposal, mixer, blender, meat slicer and steamer.
• Operates coffee and tea maker.
• Follows standardized recipes.
• Uses serving equipment (ladle, spoon, scoops, etc.)
• Checks and records water temperature (dishwasher, pot and pan sink, etc.)
• Checks dishwasher with sanitizer strips.
• Checks chemical levels and replaces if needed.

ESSENTIAL ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS

• Participate in Nursing Center surveys (Licensure / JCAHO) and any subsequently required reports.
• Attend and participate in continuing educational programs to keep abreast on changes in your field as well as to maintain current license/certification, as required.
• Attend and participate in mandatory in-services.
• Honor patient’s rights to fair and equitable treatment, self-determination, individuality, privacy, property and civil rights, including the right to wage complaints.
• Comply with Corporate Compliance Program.
• Report job-related functions/tasks that involve occupational hazards including exposure to blood and body fluids and others as necessary.
• Follow established safety regulations, to include fire protection/prevention, smoking regulations, infection control, etc.
• Follow established safety procedures when performing job tasks and/or working with equipment.
• Perform other related duties as necessary and as directed by supervisor.
• Comply with all Privacy and Security programs.

ESSENTIAL GENERAL FUNCTIONS

• Attendance
• Punctuality
• Professional Appearance

• Communicates well with patients and family members providing warm and friendly greeting and an approachable attitude to family/visitors/patients and responds to expressed concerns while displaying a helpful, caring demeanor, answers questions when appropriate in a professional manner.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS

Primary Physical Requirements:

• Lift up to 10 lbs.: Frequently required when preparing various food items and using kitchen equipment, e.g., cutting five-pound hams on industrial-sized slicer.
• Lift 11 to 25 lbs.: Occasionally to frequently required when lifting kitchen equipment filled with soups or stews.
• Lift 26 to 40 lbs.: Occasionally to frequently required when lifting 50-pound bags of potatoes. May receive assistance on items over 25 pounds.
• Lift over 40 lbs.: Not required.
• Carry up to 10 lbs.: Frequently required when carrying various food items within the kitchen area. (5 to 20 feet).
• Carry 11 to 25 lbs.: Frequently required to carry filled pot from one burner to another (2 to 5 feet).
• Carry 26 to 40 lbs.: Frequently required in carrying 50-pound bags of potatoes up to 5 to 15 feet. (For loads over 25 pounds may receive assistance.)
• Carry over 40 lbs.: Not required.
• Reach above shoulder height: 4 feet.
• Reach at shoulder height: Frequently required while cooking.
• Reach below shoulder height: Frequently to constantly required while cleaning kitchen area.
• Push/Pull: 20 feet.

Hand Manipulation:

• Grasping: Frequently to constantly required while cooking and preparing food.
• Fingering: Infrequently may be required if center bakes own bread. (kneading bread).
• Handling: Frequently required while cooking and preparing food.
• Torquing: Infrequently required when adjusting knobs on slicer.

Other Physical Considerations:

• Twisting: Occasionally may occur while cooking.
• Bending: Occasionally may occur when required to clean lower shelves.
• Crawling: Not Required.
• Squatting: Occasionally may be required while cleaning or retrieving items from lower shelves.
• Kneeling: Not Required.
• Crouching: Not Required.
• Climbing: Occasionally required.
• Balancing: Occasionally.

During an 8 hour day, Associate is required to:

Consecutive Hours Total Hours

Sit 0 0

Stand 2 4

Walk 1 2

Work Surface: Tile floors and metal or wood counters.

Cognitive and Sensory Requirements:

• Talking: Necessary for communicating with others.
• Hearing: Necessary for taking instructions from others.
• Sight: Necessary for doing job correctly and effectively.
• Tasting & Smelling: Necessary for tasting quality of food products.

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION/EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

A high school diploma or its equivalent preferred.

OTHER TRAINING, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

On the job training is provided.

EQUIPMENT USED

Standard kitchen equipment, e.g., meat slicer, food processor, blender

SUMMARY OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES

Tasks assigned to this position may involve potential and/or direct exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious disease, air contaminants and hazardous chemicals. May be subject to hostile and emotionally upset patients, family members, associates and visitors.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

This is primarily a standing position where an associate may be required to stand in one place for extended periods of time throughout an 8-hour day. Also exposed to extreme heat and cold.

Drug-Free Workplace

JOB DESCRIPTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have read this job description and fully understand the requirements set forth therein. I hereby accept the position of Food Services Aide and agree to perform the identified essential functions in a safe manner and in accordance with the organization’s established Procedural Guidelines. I understand that as a result of my employment, I may be exposed to blood, body fluids, infectious diseases, air contaminants (including tobacco smoke), and hazardous chemicals and that the organization should provide to me instructions on how to prevent and control such exposures. I further understand that I may also be exposed to the Hepatitis B Virus and that the organization should make available to me, free of charge, the Hepatitis B Vaccination.

I understand that my employment is at-will. This means that an associate has the right to terminate employment at any time, with or without cause, and the organization has a similar right. This document does not create any implied or expressed contractual obligation on the part of the organization. No manager or representative other than the President of the organization has any authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time, or to make any agreement contrary to the forgoing.

_______________________________________ ________________________

Signature – Food Services Cook Date

________________________________________________________________

A review of this description has excluded the marginal functions of the positions that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and requirements are essential job functions. All requirements are subject to possible modifications to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the associate occupying this position. Associates will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. Minimum requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship.

Foodborne Illness Guidelines

As a provider of numerous meals per day; the Nursing Center strives to provide safe and nutritious food

to our customers. As an associate handling food for consumption by our customers, each associate plays

an important role in this process. For this reason, it is very important for food service associates to report

any symptoms associated with food borne illnesses, such as intestinal illness (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,

jaundice, sore throat, and fever) or skin infection (open boils, sores) to your Administrator, supervisor, or

person in charge, prior to starting your work day or immediately upon the onset of any of the above

symptoms.

Equally important, you should notify your supervisor if you, or any person living in the same household

with you, has been exposed to or confirmed by a doctor to have any of the following food borne diseases:

1. Salmonella,

2. Shiga-toxin-producing E.coli,

3. Shigella,

4. Hepatitis A,

5. Norovirus

In either situation, you may be asked to see a doctor, sent home depending upon your symptoms (in accordance with the FDA’s 2005 Food Code or the applicable State requirements, whichever is more restrictive) or obtain written authorization from a doctor allowing your return to work.

Our goal is to serve nutritious food to the public and to guard against the likelihood of food borne disease

transmission. As a valued associate of the center, your assistance in achieving this goal is essential. Your

cooperation and understanding of this important goal is imperative to the health of our patients.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND AGREEMENT

I acknowledge that I have read and understand the requirements concerning my responsibilities to report

to the person in charge any symptoms or diagnoses identified in the Food Code (and applicable State

requirements) to help assist the center in preventing food borne disease transmission. I understand the

failure to comply with the terms above could result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

NURSING CENTER (print): _________________________________________

ASSOCIATE NAME (print):__________________________________________

ASSOCIATE SIGNATURE:___________________________________________

DATE:_____________________________________________________________

FOOD SERVICE MANAGER SIGNATURE:_______________________________

(upon completion this form should be maintained in the associate’s health file)