Job summary
We are currently looking to recruit a Nutritional Assistant.
The Hyper-Acute Stroke unit is an 22 -bedded ward at the John Radcliffe Hospital. The unit cares for patients who have recently had a stroke and consequently have varying degrees of disabilities. Many will have problems with swallowing.
You will contribute to the assessment and care of patients undergoing inpatient treatment, working closely with the nursing team and ward dietitian to ensure nutritional needs are assessed and met.
A successful candidate must demonstrate a commitment to team work and show an interest in nutritional assessment and need. You will need to demonstrate excellent communication skills and an ability to work independently.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to team work and show an interest in nutritional assessment and the importance of good nutrition to patient recovery. You will need to demonstrate excellent communication skills and an ability to work flexibly and independently. No previous healthcare experience is necessary as training will be given, but you may have worked in a people facing role in other settings bringing transferable skills.
Successful candidates can look forward to working in a professional environment with teams that are passionate about delivering outstanding care to patients and their families. There are many opportunities for personal and professional development for candidates who shine and want to progress their career within the NHS.
About us
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trustis one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more herewww.ouh.nhs.uk
The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel.
Job description
Job 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 patients 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 CSWs 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 patients nutritional plan
- Assess patients 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.
Job description
Job 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 patients 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 CSWs 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 patients nutritional plan
- Assess patients 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.
Person Specification
Training
Essential
Person Specification
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
