COOK, PT, Days Vary

Job Summary: Under the direct supervision of the Food and Nutrition Services Manager, the cook will prepare, season and cook food for hospital patients, staff and visitors.

Demonstrates Competency in the Following Areas:

Determines types and quantities of meats, vegetables and soups to be prepared by reviewing planned menus.

Determines amount of foods needed to meet weekly menus and submits order to Food and Nutrition Services Manager.

Ensures meals are ready at specified times.

Delivers patients’s food cart to nursing stations; Returns food cart to Food and Nutrition Services.

Consults with Food and Nutrition Services Manager regarding use of left-overs.

Consults Registered Dietitian on modified diets, as necessary.

Supervises Food and Nutrition Services workers when washing, trimming or preparing food.

Measures and mixes ingredients according to approved recipes, using blenders, mixers, grinders, slicers, etc.

Makes sauces, soups, stews, casseroles and desserts meeting established dietary guidelines.

Cooks meat, fish and fowl in a variety of ways such as baking, roasting, broiling and steaming.

Carves meat, fish and fowl into individual servings according to menu combinations and patient diet orders.

Tests foods being cooked to ensure doneness. Adjusts heat controls as necessary.

Improves flavor and texture of food by adding ingredients or seasonings.

Observes infection prevention and control practices at all times.

Maintains kitchen in a clean, neat and organized manner.

Performs all aspects of patient care in an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical/health care errors.

Supports and maintains a culture of safety and quality.

Participates in departmental performance improvement activities.

Maintains trayline in a clean, neat, and organized manner.

Puts clean dishes and utensils away.

Cleans walk-in refrigerators and storage areas.

Performs special cleaning duties as assigned by the Food and Nutrition Services Manager.

Maintains a good working relationship within the department and with other departments

Professional Requirements:

Adheres to dress code, appearance is neat and clean.

Completes annual education requirements.

Maintains regulatory requirements, including all federal, state, local regulations and accrediting organization standards.

Maintains and ensures patient confidentiality at all times.

Reports to work on time and as scheduled; completes work within designated time.

Wears identification while on duty; uses computerized punch time system correctly.

Completes inservices and returns in a timely fashion.

Attends annual review and performs departmental inservices.

Attends 12 staff meetings; or reads and returns all staff meeting minutes

Actively participates in the department’s continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities.

Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner.

Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.

Communicates the mission, ethics and goals of the hospital, as well as the focus statement of the department.

Regulatory Requirements:

• Preferred High school graduate or equivalent.
• One year experience in food preparation required, preferably in a hospital environment.

Language Skills:

• Able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Additional languages preferred.

Other Skills:

• Basic computer knowledge.
• Have ability to calculate measurements in recipes to increase or decrease servings.

Physical Demands:

• Normal hospital environment. Occasional exposure to steam and refrigerators. Normal/corrected eyesight. Hearing within normal range. Operates cash register and ice machine. Frequent standing. Lifting up to 50 pounds. Carrying, pushing/pulling up to 50 pounds.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position without compromising patient care.