Food Service Worker in Boone, North Carolina at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System

Position Summary

The Food Service Worker at Watauga Medical Center is responsible for assisting in the preparation, serving, and delivery of food to patients, staff, and visitors. This role ensures a clean, safe, and welcoming environment in the kitchen and dining areas. The Food Service Worker will adhere to all health and safety regulations and maintain the highest standards of food quality and customer service. Key Responsibilities include:

• Food Preparation: Assist in the preparation of meals, including washing, peeling, and cutting fruits and vegetables, preparing sandwiches, salads, and desserts, and following standardized recipes.
• Serving Meals: Serve food to patients, staff, and visitors in a courteous and professional manner, ensuring portion control and adherence to dietary restrictions.
• Sanitation: Maintain cleanliness and sanitation of kitchen equipment, utensils, and work areas in compliance with health department regulations. Wash dishes, pots, pans, and other cooking equipment.
• Food Delivery: Deliver food trays to patients' rooms, ensuring accurate and timely delivery. Retrieve and return meal trays from patients’ rooms.
• Inventory Management: Assist in receiving and storing food supplies and inventory. Monitor stock levels and report shortages to the Food Service Manager.
• Customer Service: Provide excellent customer service to all patients, staff, and visitors. Address and resolve any concerns or complaints promptly and professionally.
• Compliance: Follow all hospital policies, procedures, and guidelines, including those related to food safety, sanitation, and infection control.
• Teamwork: Collaborate with kitchen staff, dietitians, and other healthcare professionals to ensure the efficient operation of the nutrition services department.

Compensation is competitive and commensurate with education and experience. Starting compensation ranges from $15.00 - $21.75 hourly. This is a non-exempt position. Weekend work is required with this position. Minimum Education

• High School Diploma or GED is preferred, but not required.

Experience

• Prior experience in a food service or healthcare setting preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of food safety regulations and guidelines.
• Ability to demonstrate exceptional customer service to patients, family, staff, and physicians
• Basic computer literacy: knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, and nutritional analysis
• Willingness to work as a dishwasher as needed.
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a team environment.

Physical Demands

• Lifts, positions, pushes, pulls, and/or transfers up to and greater than 50 pounds
• Manual dexterity and mobility
• Prolonged, extensive or considerable sitting/standing/walking
• Bending, squatting, twisting, and turning
• Near acuity: ability to see clearly at 20 inches or less

Working Conditions

• Regularly exposed to the risk of bloodborne diseases
• Subject to irregular hours and on-call (days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays) and emergencies
• Continuous standing and walking long periods = to or greater than > 8 hours per shift
• Frequently per shift: lifts, carries, pushes and/or pulls > 50 lbs.
• Frequently per hour: bends, squats, kneels, twists, turns, and reaches
• Frequently per minute: hand, finger, and wrist repetition, and moderate dexterity
• Frequently per hour: exposed to soft voices > 3 feet away
• Frequently per hour: exposed to close eye work

About UNC Health Appalachian UNC Health Appalachian, the leader for healthcare in the High Country, comprises three hospitals, 13 medical practices, Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, The Rehabilitation Center, and Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation. UNC Health Appalachian stays committed to promoting health in the High Country, enhancing quality of life, and simply “making life better.“ About UNC Health UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 14 hospitals, 18 hospital campuses and more than 500 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine (SOM). It exists to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others we serve and to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina SOM. Over the past three years, UNC Health has provided more than $400 million in uncompensated or charity care to the citizens of North Carolina. Our hospitals have received numerous awards and recognition for quality care, patient safety and the overall patient experience. For more information, please visit unchealth.org. UNC Health Appalachian embraces diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. We value a workforce that reflects a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, as it enhances our ability to provide outstanding care. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences. UNC Health Appalachian is committed to providing a fair and inclusive hiring process and a workplace where all team members feel respected and empowered. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us. Employment at UNC Health Appalachian is contingent upon successful completion of a background and drug screen. For accommodations or additional information, contact recruitment@apprhs.org.