Diet Clerk - Alameda Health System

SUMMARY: Under supervision in the Dietary Department to provide support for Dietitians, Nutrition Assistants and Dietetic Technicians, Registered. in performing the more routine aspects of menu selection, checking the correctness of prepared meals, processing diet orders and changes; and performing other related duties as required.

DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Not all duties listed are necessarily performed by each individual in the classification.

1. Takes new diet orders over the phone or from a computer; enters new patients in diet rands and bed rands; enters patients' likes and dislikes in diet rands; fills out appropriate meal slips and nourishment cards so that patients receive meals and snacks, if applicable; tallies food choices of all patients so that adequate amounts of food items can be prepared to meet the demand.

2. Prepares patients’ meal slips according to the current diet order on Diet Census before each meal.

3. Selects food items for patients who are unable to select their own meals; using preprinted menus and meal patterns (written by dietitians in consultation with physicians); selects food items for patients on restricted diets to comply with the specified restrictions; selects food items for patients on regular, calorie-controlled, salt-free, low-protein, low cholesterol, low-fat, fluid-restricted, soft, puréed, or bland diets, using preprinted menus and meal patterns; modifies food items for patients per Dietitians and Diet Technicians’ direction.

4. Follows up on meals served to patients to establish whether meals are being satisfactorily prepared, served, etc; acts to correct complaints regarding quantity or quality of food served; may work as the checker on kitchen tray lines checking temperature, appearance of meals and contents of food trays to ensure that diet restrictions as specified by menu cards are being followed.

5.Review the menus of patients who select their own meals but who are on restricted diets, to insure that they stay within their restrictions; refers questions or complex problems to Dietitians for guidance and/or resolution; distributes and picks up menus from patients who select their own meals; may make ward rounds each day to check diet restrictions for new patients or may interview patients to determine their food preferences.

6. Keeps records of patient’s diets, actual meals and foods served to patient areas and food production sheets; maintains inventory of the dietary office supplies, forms, and menus; files discharge patient profile cards.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: High School Graduate. Experience/Qualifications One year working in a Healthcare Food Service Department as a Food Service Worker + and has successfully completed one college course: Diet Therapy. Or 2 years experience in the Health Care Food Service Department as a Food Service Worker who has worked on trayline + concurrent enrollment in a Diet Therapy Course and successful completion of the college course. 0r 6 months working as a Diet Clerk (or similar position) in a Healthcare Food Service Department. Preferred college course in Diet Therapy. OR Has obtained a Nutrition Assistant Certificate or has an AA Degree in a related field.