Dietetic Technician

ABOUT THE POSITION

Riverside University Health System (RUHS) Medical Center seeks a Dietetic Technician to join the team. This job opening will serve to fill a Dietetic Technician vacancy in Moreno Valley.

Under direction, the Dietetic Technician assists Dietitians in diet instruction, nutritional screening, and supervises food service employees in preparation and service of food; performs other related duties as required.

The Dietetic Technician works under the supervision of the Supervising Dietitian in the Food and Nutritional Services Department of the Riverside University Health System - Medical Center (RUHS-MC). This class is characterized by serving as the liaison between nutrition services and the food production system. Incumbents work directly with patients providing discharge diet instructions and interviewing for background information related to nutrition. Incumbents further oversee the delivery of food trays to patients and monitor the patients' satisfaction, and may be assigned to administrative food service functions such as supervision of food preparation, food service (tray line or café) and catering.

Qualified applicants must be in possession of a valid Certificate of Registration as a Dietitian Technician from Commission of Dietetic Registration.

Duties include, but not limited to:

• Check trays for accuracy

• Answer phones

• Print meal tickets

• Utilize Foodservice software

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Review patient charts.

• Interpret lab values as related to nutritional status.

• Interview patients on admission or change in diet prescription in order to obtain diet history and food preferences.

• Utilize Foodservice Software; look up patients by units and/or by name; search for correct meal period and day of the week; modify therapeutic diets in Foodservice Software; print meal tickets and tallies.

• Read diet orders, allergies and nutrient goals, modifying items as appropriate.

• Chart initial nutritional screening in patient chart; give diet instruction to patients on normal, restricted sodium, restricted cholesterol and food and drug interactions in preparation for discharge; answer phone calls in the Diet Office.

• Assist Dietitians in instruction of patients on special diets; write special menus; recommend supplemental feedings and write enteral formula recipes.

• Supervise the tray line workers preparation of food trays for patients to assure accuracy of diet and proper portioning, appearance and arrangement of food on trays; check high risk trays.

• Supervise food service hostesses doing patient meal delivery.

• Solve problems related to nutrition services such as assisting in patient discharge follow-up.

• Tally calorie intakes for malnourished patients to assure adequate intake; provide input in planning of patient menus.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: Experience in a food or nutritional environment.

Knowledge of: Nutrition as a basis for health; therapeutic nutrition; body physiology; basic principles, methods and techniques of diet planning, food preparation and presentation; difference in age-specific nutritional care of patients; techniques of interviewing, counseling and teaching; basic supervisory skills.

Ability to: Assess through interview, chart and lab value analysis the nutritional status of a patient; plan menus that meet the nutritional needs of patients within a hospital setting and following discharge; to assist the Dietitians in a variety of ways in implementing the nutrition care plan; instruct patients and their families at their level of understanding and age; motivate food service workers to achieve established quality and quantity standards.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

BASED ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED, THIS POSTING MAY CLOSE WITHOUT NOTICE.

For specific questions regarding this position, contact Jesus Colin at JColin@rivco.org.