Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Overall Aims of Role

• To support dieticians and nurses in delivery of the dietetic service by reviewing, monitoring and advising patients and undertaking related administration of nutritional supplements
• To act as an intermediary between the dietetic and catering departments, enhancing communication to achieve the optimal provision of nutrition for patients in hospital
• To undertake and oversee the ordering, delivery and payment of nutritional products
• To contribute to the maintenance of a tidy, clean and efficient environment
• To provide a high standard of customer care in order to make patients feel welcome and safe
• Maintain accurate, legible and legally substantive records of care and assessment provided to patients
• Co-ordinate the clinical support workers to maintain the patient environment around the clock/communicate relevant supplement and nutritional needs and liaise appropriately with senior nurse and dietician

Key Responsibilities

 You will undertake the following duties under the supervision of a registered practitioner.

The post holder will:

• Assess the needs and wishes of the patient, taking into consideration the information received from the Registered Nurse regarding individual factors in the patient’s condition.  
• Observe the patient, with regards to general condition and specific issues highlighted at hand-over, informing the Registered Nurse of changes.
• Document observations and progress of patients in the medical notes, according to local standards.
• Emotionally support patients and carers, recognising the boundaries of own knowledge and responsibility when talking to them and referring to a Registered Nurse
• Contribute to the hand-over of patients regarding their current condition and needs
• Ensure patients are weighed and MUST scores are completed 
• Ensure a safe and efficient working environment, by maintaining a well stocked and tidy ward area
• Work closely with Senior Housekeeper in order to maintain an orderly environment
• Offer support to new CSW’s to the team as a mentor based upon the Departmental Orientation guidelines and ongoing support in their development

 Principle duties and responsibilities relating to nutritional assistant:

 CLINICAL

After training, to review and monitor ongoing patients under the supervision of the dietician and ward sister.  This may involve:

• Gathering relevant clinical information from medical and nursing notes, care plans, drug charts, patients and carers
  
  
• Liaise with nursing staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team, for example, Speech and Language Therapists (SALT) and Occupational Therapists about the patient’s nutritional plan
  
  
• Assess patient’s tolerance to tube feeding
  
  
• Calculate patients’ intake from food record charts, which may involve using a dietary analysis computer package
  
  
• Regularly liaise with the supervising dietician about all aspects of patients nutritional care
  
  
• Monitor patient in order to achieve optimum nutritional intake
  
  
• Record all interventions and actions on dietetic record cards

Oversee the completion of daily menus for all patients on therapeutic diets. This may involve face-to-face discussion with patients and/or their carers.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

If required, assist a dietician or deliver training to staff and/or patients.

• Participate in the induction of new ward and Dietetic staff; demonstrating the role of the Nutritional Assistant as well as informing them about the provision of therapeutic meals, nutritional supplement products and raising nutritional awareness in their ward area.

• Support ward sister and dietician in project work including review audits and patient satisfaction questionnaires.
• Assist the dietician with the writing and updating of diet sheets by gathering information and drafting text.
• Create visual displays in public areas to reflect national nutrition and health promotion campaigns, for example, the 5-a-day campaign and Stroke Awareness month, to improve health education.
• To undertake regular training sessions with a colleague, learning by experience and improving working practice on an on-going basis. 
• Liaise with dieticians, patients, the catering department and ward staff to ensure the provision of therapeutic diets, appropriate snacks, supplements and enteral feeds runs smoothly.
• Work with the dietician to alter menus as necessary, update the special diets and nutrition policy. Disseminate this information throughout the ward.