Room Service Associate - PRN

The Room Service Associate PRN is responsible for essential tasks associated with patient meal service including: tray assembly on the room service line, tray and nourishment delivery to patients throughout the hospital system, pantry inventory and supply, and tray and cart breakdown and sanitation within the dish room. The Room Service Associate works in a team-based environment and communicates daily with patients, visitors, guests, and other personnel within the department and on hospital floors in order to maintain optimal patient feeding.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Follows hospital and departmental procedures related to meal tray assembly and delivery in order to maintain patient safety standards; washes hands upon entry and exit of patient rooms, dons appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), etc; utilizes active patient identification per hospital standard of patient name and date of birth; communicates with nursing staff regarding special-needs patients such as isolation trays, insulin patients, therapeutic needs, etc; serves food in accordance with standard portion control procedures while adhering to menus for specific diets
• Embodies excellent customer service while serving as a representative of the department; upholds a professional attitude and exemplifies excellent customer service when interacting with guests, visitors, patients, and other employees; advocates for patient care by communicating with necessary personnel regarding patients in need of special accommodations
• Handles food within service areas in accordance with Indiana State Department of Health, Joint Commission regulations and departmental policy and procedures; prioritizes hand-hygiene within the kitchen in addition to utilizing disposable gloves when indicated; adheres to departmental hygiene and dress-code standards in order to provide safe food to vulnerable populations; uses the First-In First-Out (FIFO) rotation method when supplying inventory items to patient floors and/or re-stocking supplies for the patient room service line
• Maintains productivity standards in order to assure patient meal orders are obtained, assembled, and delivered in established time frames; passes a minimum number of patient meal trays during meal service per productivity standards in line with patient census; delivers enteral formulas, nutritional supplements, and snacks for assigned floors at designated times; assembles patient meal trays for room service or house menus in accordance with assigned therapeutic diet and safe food handling practices, ensuring quality, accuracy, and consistency of food and beverages being served to patients; replenishes pantry, refrigeration, and freezer food items on the room service line before, after, and during meal service; stocks food and related supplies in patient care areas per request and/or to established par levels
• Performs daily cleaning tasks associated with dish/service ware utilized to feed a high volume of patients, guests, and employees; picks up soiled dishware, meal trays, and other patient-feeding wares from patient units and assures items are washed, sanitized and stocked for continuous meal service; follows a daily cleaning schedule of assigned areas in order to maintain cleanliness/sanitation; identifies and safely uses chemical cleaning agents stocked for various pieces of service equipment, table tops, floors, office areas, and dish machine
• Completes other associated job duties as assigned; relieves other food service staff as necessary for smooth operation of department per supervisor; completes paperwork and/or maintains electronic documentation related to essential job functions
• This is a PRN position and will be scheduled as needed.

Job Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent (GED)
• Minimum of one year of general work experience or currently enrolled in a higher education institution

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to effectively use electronic menu management system as related to essential job functions
• General knowledge of safe food storage, preparation and handling
• Knowledge of therapeutic diet restrictions
• Strong customer service skills and ability to communicate effectively in a professional manner with food service personnel, hospital staff, guests and patients
• Demonstrates proper use of equipment as related to essential job assignments
• Ability to follow infection control policies and procedures
• Ability to follow all Food and Nutrition Services policies and procedures