Cook - Village Springs Health and Rehabilitation

FLU SHOT PROOF IS REQUIRED AT ORIENTATION OR A COMPLETED APPROVED EXEMPTION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Purpose of Your Job Position
The primary purpose of your job position is to prepare food in accordance with current applicable federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations, with our established policies and procedures, and as may be directed by the Dietitian and/or Director of Food Services, to assure that quality food service is provided at all times.

Delegation of Authority
As Cook / Head Cook, you are delegated the authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.

Job Functions
Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific state- ments of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position.


Duties and Responsibilities
Administrative Functions
•    Review menus prior to preparation of food.
•    Interpret department policies and procedures to personnel, patients, visitors, family members, etc., as necessary.
•    Perform administrative requirements such as completing necessary forms, reports, etc., and submit to the Director of Food Services as required.
•    Coordinate dietary service with other departments as necessary.
•    Work with the facility’s dietitian as necessary and implement recommended changes as required.
•    Ensure that all dietary procedures are followed in accordance with established policies.
•    Adhere to prescribed methods for determining quality and quantity of food served.
•    Assume the authority, responsibility, and accountability of Cook / Head Cook.
•    Process diet changes and new diets as received from Nursing Services.
•    Others as deemed necessary and appropriate, or as may be directed.

Committee Functions
•    Implement recommendations from facility committees as directed/necessary.
•    Attend department and staff meetings as directed or called.

Personnel Functions
•    Meet with dietary personnel, as necessary, to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the improvement of services.
•    Develop and maintain a good working rapport with inter-department personnel, as well as with other departments within the facility, to assure that food service can be properly maintained to meet the needs of the patients.
•    Ensure that department personnel, patients, visitors, etc., follow established dietary policies and proce- dures at all times.
•    Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis as well as a calm environment throughout the department.
•    Delegate authority, responsibility, and accountability to other responsible department personnel.
•    Report absenteeism and tardiness to the Director.
•    Report complaints and grievances to the Director.
 
•    Report all occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals to the Director of Food Services.

Staff Development Functions
•    Participate in workshops, seminars, programs, etc., designed for in-service education, on-the-job training and orientation classes for newly assigned department personnel. (Includes maintaining ap- propriate recordkeeping requirements of when classes were held, subject matter, attendance, etc., as necessary.)
•    Participate in and assist in departmental studies and projects as assigned or that may become neces- sary.
•    Attend and participate in ALL in-services, including annual HazCom, blood borne pathogens, and TB in- service training programs.

Dietary Service Functions
•    Prepare meals in accordance with planned menus, standardized orders, special diet orders, therapeutic diet orders, etc..
•    Prepare and serve meals that are palatable and appetizing in appearance.
•    Assist in serving meals as necessary, and on a timely basis.
•    Serve food in accordance with established portion control procedures.
•    Inspect special diet trays to assure that the correct diet is being served.
•    Prepare and serve patients nutritional bedtime snacks.
•    Be sure that appropriate equipment and utensils are provided with the patient’s meal tray.
•    Prepare and serve substitute foods to patients who refuse foods served.

Safety and Sanitation Functions
•    Prepare food in accordance with applicable safety and sanitary regulations, as well as with facility es- tablished policies and procedures.
•    Assist in maintaining the Dietary Department, equipment, and supplies in a safe and sanitary manner.
•    Ensure that fire prevention procedures, safety regulations, and infection control precautions and pro- cedures are followed at all times by all personnel.
•    Assist/direct daily or scheduled cleaning duties in accordance with established policies and procedures.
•    Report all accidents/incidents as established by department policies. Fill out and file reports as di- rected.
•    Conduct daily inspections to ensure that work, and food storage areas are clean and properly arranged at all times, maintaining sanitary conditions.
•    Coordinate routine/terminal isolation procedures with Nursing Services.
•    Report all hazardous conditions or equipment, and missing/illegible labels/MSDSs to your supervisor.
•    Other(s) that may become necessary/appropriate to assure that our facility is maintained in a clean, safe and comfortable manner.

Equipment and Supply Functions
•    Assist in the purchasing of food and supplies.
•    Ensure that stock levels of staple/non-staple food, supplies, equipment, etc., are maintained at ade- quate levels at all times, including inventory and storing of in-coming food and supplies as necessary.
•    Ensure that food and supplies for the next meal are readily available.
•    Recommend to the Director of Food Services the equipment and supply needs of the department.
•    Ensure that containers of hazardous chemicals used in the dietary department are properly labeled and stored.

Budget and Planning Functions
•    Verify invoices for the purchasing of food, supplies, equipment, etc., and submit to business office as directed.

Patient Rights Functions
•    Maintain confidentiality of all pertinent patient care information.
 
•    Knock before entering a patient’s room, and follow all patient rights and privacy policies and proce- dures.
•    Review complaints and grievances and make necessary oral/written reports to the Director of Food Services. Follow facility’s established procedures.

Miscellaneous Functions
•    Make only authorized food substitutions.

Working Conditions
•    Works in well-lighted/ventilated areas. Atmosphere is warm for cooking.
•    Moves intermittently during working hours.
•    Is subject to frequent interruptions from patients, personnel, visitors, government agencies/ personnel, etc., under all conditions and circumstances.
•    Is subject to hostile and emotionally upset patients, family members, etc.
•    Communicates with the medical staff, nursing staff, and other department supervisors.
•    Works beyond normal duty hours, on weekends, in other positions temporarily, when necessary, and is subject to call-back during emergency conditions (e.g., severe weather, evacuation, post-disaster, etc.).
•    Attends and participates in continuing educational programs.
•    Is subject to injury from falls, burns from equipment, odors, etc., throughout the work day, as well as reactions from dust, disinfectants, tobacco smoke, and other air contaminants.
•    Is subject to sudden temperature changes, heat/cold temperatures in kitchen/storage area.
•    Is subject to exposure to hazardous chemicals, infectious waste, diseases, conditions, etc., including
TB, Covid variants, AIDS and Hepatitis B viruses.
•    Maintains a liaison with other department supervisors to adequately plan for dietary services/ activities.

Education
•    Must possess an educational background sufficient to meet the specific requirements of the position.

Experience
•    Dietary experience in a supervisory capacity in a hospital, skilled nursing care facility, or other related medical facility preferred but not required.

Specific Requirements
•    Must be able to cook a variety of foods in large quantities.
•    Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.
•    Must possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.
•    Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, patients, family members, visitors, govern- ment agencies/personnel and the general
•    public.
•    Must be knowledgeable of dietary practices and procedures.
•    Must possess leadership ability and willingness to work harmoniously with and supervise other per- sonnel.
•    Must maintain the care and use of supplies, equipment, etc., the appearance of dietary service areas, and must perform regular inspections
•    of dietary service areas for sanitation, order, safety and proper performance of assigned duties.
•    Must have patience, tact, cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, as well as be willing to handle patients based on whatever maturity level
•    they are currently functioning.
•    Must possess the ability to seek out new methods and principles and be willing to incorporate them into existing dietary practices.
•    Must be willing to follow all company, state and regulatory policies related to Infection Control and Vaccination requirements.
•    Must not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace.

 
Physical and Sensory Requirements
(With or Without the Aid of Mechanical Devices)
•    Must be able to move intermittently throughout the work day.
•    Must be able to speak and write the English language in an understandable manner.
•    Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position due to relating to and work- ing with the ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and, at times, hostile people.
•    Must possess sight/hearing senses, or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function ade- quately so that the requirements of this position can be fully met.
•    Must function independently, have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with the patients, personnel, and support agencies.
•    Must meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of this facility.
•    Must be able to push, pull, move, and/or lift a reasonable minimum of pounds to a reasonable height of and be able to push, pull, move, and/or carry such weight a reasonable distance.
•    Must be able to taste and smell food to determine quality and palatability.
•    May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of patients during emergency situations.

Job Position Analysis Information
YES        Tasks assigned to this position MAY involve potential and/or direct exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious diseases, air contaminants, and hazardous chemicals
YES    Functions Require Repetitive Motion
YES    Weight Lifting requirements do apply.
YES    Functions Require Prolonged Sitting, Standing, and/or Bending