Job Description
COOK

Mission and Core Values

Expressing Christ’s love by providing care that values every human life.

Integrity: We adhere to high principles and professional standards.
 Follows policies and procedures and ensures compliancy.
 Admits and corrects mistakes in a professional manner.

Commitment: We dedicate ourselves to those we serve.
 Follows through with tasks given or undertaken.
 Is committed to healthcare as a vocation.

Respect: We value and treat others with compassion and dignity.
 Keeps a clean environment.
 Maintains confidentiality and observes privacy, respecting and recognizing consumer and co-worker dignity.

Excellence: We have the passion to do our best.
 Strives to provide exceptional care in the work performed so those served can experience his/her commitment to excellence.
 Honors the knowledge and experience of co-workers and works together to develop best practices which produces extraordinary results.

Service: We contribute to the wellbeing of others.
 Focuses on the person, responds to voiced needs and strives to anticipate future needs.
 Works as a team and helps others meet the needs of those we serve.

Stewardship: We wisely manage all resources God entrusts to us.
 Values what has been entrusted to him/her, making sure to care for others and the environment in which he/she works.
 Is creative and shares best practices, strives for excellence while being prudent in his/her use of resources.

Position Purpose:

The primary purpose of this position is the responsibility of preparing and serving meals to individuals receiving services, employees, and guests. Also, the supervision of dietary aides in the absence of the Dietary Manager.

Essential Job Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Organizational Responsibilities:

• Adhere to, support and promote St. Francis Health Services’ Mission and Core Values, philosophy, goals and objectives while conducting company business.
• Maintain confidentiality of company and individual receiving services related information at all times.
• Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the care center as appointed by the Administrator.
• Ensure that all dietary procedures are followed in accordance with established policies.
• Ensure menus are maintained and filed in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Review menus prior to preparation of food.
• Prepare meals in accordance with planned menus.
• Follow and provide diet per physician’s order.
• Process diet changes as directed by Nursing Services.
• Inspect special diet trays to assure that the correct diet is served to the individual receiving services.
• Perform administrative requirements such as completing necessary forms, reports, etc. and submit to the Dietary Director.
• Coordinate dietary service with other departments as necessary.
• Assist in inventorying and storing incoming food, supplies, etc. as necessary.
• Obtain food supplies for next meal or day.
• Maintain cleanliness of work area (i.e. counters, stove, sinks).
• Deliver food carts and trays to designated areas as directed.
• Clear tables, trays and carts as directed.
• Wash and sanitize utensils and dishes as directed and return to storage area.
• Sweep and mop floor as needed or directed.
• Carry out garage at the end of each meal as needed or directed.

Individual Receiving Services Care Responsibilities:

• Does not disclose individual receiving services’ protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.
• Ensure that all care is provided in privacy, as appropriate, and to knock before entering a individual receiving services’ room or individual receiving services care area such as tub rooms.
• Report all grievances and complaints made by the individual receiving services, family, or visitors to the appropriate supervisor following the care center’s established procedures.
• Report to licensed staff any necessary observations made regarding potential changes in individual receiving services status, utilizing the STOP AND WATCH tool.

Individual Responsibilities:

• Report all complaints and grievances, according to company policies and procedures, which are made by the individual receiving services, family, or visitors and make a written/oral report to supervisor indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance.
• Report any communicable or infectious disease that you contract to the appropriate supervisor.
• Prepare and serve meals that are palatable and appetizing in appearance.
• Prepare food in accordance with established portion control procedures.
• Prepare food for therapeutic diets in accordance with planned menus.
• Prepare and serve snacks.
• Ensure that appropriate equipment and utensils are provided with the individual receiving services’s meal tray.
• Prepare and serve substitute foods to individual receiving services who refuse food served.
• Assist in food preparation for special meals (i.e. parties).
• Follow recipes.

Safety/AWAIR Responsibilities:

• Keep the call light system within easy reach of the individual receiving services.
• Demonstrate and practice correct sanitation techniques, such as hand washing, proper handling of supplies, cleansing and sanitizing equipment, per policy procedure.
• Participate in appropriate in-service training programs prior to performing tasks that involve potential exposure to blood/body fluids or hazardous chemicals.
• Use personal protective clothing/devices/equipment when handling infectious waste and/or blood/body fluids.
• Follow established policies and procedures in performance of duties such as safety, infection control and exposure to blood/body fluids.
• Adhere to basic infection control practices, and use standard precautions.
• Follow care center’s established policies governing safety data sheets (SDS) and the handling of hazardous chemicals. Ensure that hazardous chemicals are labeled. Report missing/illegible labels and SDSs to the appropriate supervisor.
• Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials and hazardous chemicals to the Department Director.
• Follow established safety policies and procedures regarding fire, weather related, and other potential disaster threats to individual receiving services and staff.
• Know exact location of emergency equipment (e.g., alarms and fire extinguishers).
• Participate in fire safety and disaster preparedness drills.
• Wear and/or use safety equipment and supplies (e.g. back brace, mechanical lifts, etc.) when lifting or moving individual receiving services.
• Report and/or correct unsafe conditions immediately.
• Promptly report all accidents, errors and unusual incidents to the supervisor no matter how minor they may be. Such occurrences must be reported on the shift in which they occur.
• Utilize proper body mechanics.
• Operate all equipment that is used in the department and social areas accurately and in a safe manner according to established procedures.
• Report defective equipment to the supervisor.

Regulatory Responsibilities:

• Understand and follow the Vulnerable Adult and Abuse Policy and reporting procedure.
• Understand and adhere to Individual receiving services Bill of Rights.

Environmental Responsibilities:

• Maintain a clean, attractive, safe and sanitary work environment.
• Keep work areas free of hazardous objects, unnecessary equipment, supplies, etc.

Attendance:

• Attend departmental and staff meetings as directed.
• Attend and participate in scheduled training and educational classes, department specific and care center wide.
• Attend and participate in scheduled onboarding programs and activities.
• Give adequate notice to appropriate person when absence is necessary.

Education and Experience:

• Experience working in a dietary kitchen and/or commercial kitchen.

Specific Requirements:

• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language while conducting company business.
• Must be able to follow oral and written instructions.
• Must adhere to the Corporate Compliance Program Code of Conduct.
• Must adhere to company policies and procedures.
• Must have a positive and friendly attitude.
• Must be able to solve diverse procedural problems and plans.
• Must be able to communicate, coordinate, and facilitate with other departments, families, and the general public.
• Must respect the individual receiving services’ personal and property rights.
• Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, individual receiving services, visitors and the general public.
• Must possess the ability to work harmoniously with other personnel and departments.
• Must be able to relate to and work with the disabled and elderly individuals within the care center who may at times be ill, confused, uncooperative, emotionally upset, or hostile.
• Must be willing to work beyond normal working hours when necessary and on other shifts/days.
• Must not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace.
• Must be able to request and/or accept direction/education as needed to develop new skills
• Able to operate the following equipment:
o Alarms and other safety interventions/devices;
o Call light systems;
o Walkie talkies and/or pagers, if provided by care center.

Working Environment:

• Work in all areas of the care center and its premises.
• Move intermittently during working hours.
• Is involved with individual receiving services, personnel, visitors, government agencies/personnel, etc., under all conditions and circumstances.
• Is subject to hostile and emotionally upset individual receiving services, family members, personnel and visitors.
• Is subject to frequent interruptions.
• Is subject to strain in lifting, moving and supporting individual receiving services.
• Communicate with all employees and other department directors.
• Work beyond normal working hours, on weekends and on other shifts/days, when necessary.
• Is subject to call back during emergency conditions (e.g. severe weather, evacuation, post-disaster etc.)
• Is subject to injury from falls, burns from equipment, odors, etc. throughout the workday, as well as reactions from dust, disinfectants, tobacco smoke and other air contaminants.
• Is subject to the handling of and exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Physical and Sensory Requirements:

• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the work day.
• Must utilize proper body mechanics during every shift worked.
• Must possess sight/hearing senses or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately so that the requirements of the position can be fully met.
• Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.
• Must be able to walk, stand and sit.
• Must be able to bend, stoop, squat, twist, reach above shoulders and push/pull frequently.
• Must be able to kneel, crawl and crouch occasionally and climb rarely.
• Must be able to perform repetitive motions during the work day.
• Must meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of this care center.
• Must be able to follow infection control procedures when exposed to infection.
• Must be able to push, pull, move, and/or lift a minimum of thirty (30) pounds to a minimum height of five (5) feet and able to push, pull, move, and/or carry such weight a minimum of fifty (50) feet.
• May be needed to assist in the evacuation of individual receiving services during emergency situations.