Meal Service Associate at Oregon Health & Science University – Portland, Oregon

Meal Service Associate

US-OR-Portland

Requisition ID: 2026-38591
Position Category: Food/Nutrition
Job Type: AFSCME union represented
Position Type: Regular Full-Time
Posting Department: Food and Nutrition
Posting Salary Range: $22.69 - $30.26 per hour with offer based on experience, education and internal equity
Posting FTE: 0.80
Posting Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday
Posting Hours: 2:30pm - 9:30pm

Department Overview

OHSU is Oregon’s only public academic health center. We are a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and southwest Washington. We are an institution of higher learning, with schools of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and public health – and with a network of campuses and partners throughout Oregon. We are a national research hub, with thousands of scientists developing lifesaving therapies and deeper understanding. We are a statewide economic engine and Portland’s largest employer. And as a public organization, we provide services for the most vulnerable Oregonians, and outreach to improve health in communities across the state.

The Meal Service Associate is part of the multi-disciplinary team providing food and nutritional care to OHSU patients on Marquam Hill and at CHH2. Primary duties include coordinating all aspects of patient meal service including assisting the patient’s place meal orders, assembling the meal in the kitchen (at CHH2), delivering to the patient and picking up the dirty tray.

Function/Duties of Position

Patient Care:

• Provides direct care to the patient as required for meal service including: providing the menu, taking the patient’s meal order using a portable electronic device, confirms the items ordered are consistent with the prescribed diet, checks the medical record for CBG orders or medications that need to be timed with food intake. Assists with assembling meals in the kitchen (At CHH2), delivers the meal, and ensures patients are ready for meal with over-bed table cleared.
• Checks for tray accuracy when delivering trays and is alert for items left on trays (glasses, dentures, paperwork). Delivers ice and water as requested by the patient or RN. Reheats or stores food from patient meal trays following proper food safety protocols as requested. Removes soiled meal tray from the room and documents intake in the medical record.
• Orders product and maintains nourishment room inventory using FIFO, demonstrates competency in specific skills and follows established protocols including: uses two patient identifiers; uses hand sanitizer between patient contacts; recognizes and responds to emergent situations; documents according to established policies and procedures including: patient intakes and calorie count data in Epic on the computer, converts weights and measures for food items for calorie count data, coordinates care and/or services with other team members including: alerts dietitians and dietetic technicians to patients’ needs and arranges for snacks as appropriate, notifies nursing and other professional staff of patient needs when out of the Meal Service Associate scope of practice, communicates in a respectful, caring and non-judgmental manner, reinforces nutritional teaching and counseling which is supportive and/or restorative of health, assumes responsibility for professional/job related development, knowledge of advances in technology, use of new equipment and appropriate application of hospital systems, incorporates quality improvement practices into performance, incorporates the principles of OHSU’s Mission Statement into performance, supports patient and family centered care across the continuum through service coordination, adheres to HIPPA and confidentiality guidelines, and adheres to the OHSU Code of Conduct. Performs requirements for Staff Members as outlined in Compliance Roles and Responsibilities in OHSU Hospitals and Clinics:
  • Carries out job responsibilities in an ethical, effective and professional manner.
  • Reports potential compliance problems using the reporting processes as outlined in the Code of Conduct.
  • Models ethical and appropriate behavior, professional standards, compliance, and personal integrity.
  • Participates in training programs. Understands and complies with OHSU and departmental policies and procedures, applicable rules and regulations.

Hospitality:

• Fulfills responsibility to organization through performance that promotes the service excellence philosophy
• Provides outstanding care to patients including: immediate service recovery; listens and responds to patients’ needs including unspoken or subtle requests; completes patient surveys as needed.

Other Duties as Assigned

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED
• Must read, write and speak fluent English AND
• One year of food service experience and/ or patient care experience which included direct customer service experience and demonstrated customer service skills AND
• Oregon Food Handlers Card

Preferred Qualifications

• One (1) year hospitality experience in a fast-paced hospital food service environment
• Experience communicating with patients, nursing staff, dietitians, dietetic technicians, and diet aides
• Completion of a vocational training program in a health care support area (e.g., Certified Nursing Assistant). CNA2 (Acute Care Certification). ServSafe certified

Additional Details

Exposure to garbage from patient trays, exposure to wet areas and noise in the main kitchen, exposure to highly transmissible pathogens from patients.

Continuous moving about work area, lifting, lifting/pushing overhead up to 50 pounds unassisted, lifting and carrying items up to 50 pounds unassisted, constant standing on feet eight hours per day, frequent bending forward, stooping, reaching overhead, and pushing/pulling carts up to 25 pounds, clear and audible speaking voice and correctable vision to size 12 type, and ability to hear normal speech level.

Benefits:

• Healthcare Options - Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents, and $25K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee
  
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from
  
• Vacation- up to 200 hours per year depending on length of service
  
• Sick Leave- up to 96 hours per year
  
• 8 paid holidays per year
  
• Substantial Tri-met and C-Tran discounts
  
• Additional Programs including: Tuition Reimbursement and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)