Nutritional Services Worker

Worker: Nutritional Services

🍽️ Position Highlight

Make a difference in the patient experience through great food, friendly service, and attention to detail.

Pagosa Springs Medical Center is seeking a dependable and service-oriented Nutritional Services Worker to join our Dietary Services team. This position supports the preparation and service of meals for patients, employees, and visitors while helping maintain a safe, clean, and welcoming kitchen and café environment.

Previous kitchen experience is helpful, but not required.

Position Summary

Under the general supervision of the Manager of Dietary Services, the Nutritional Services Worker assists with preparing food for patient, staff, and visitor meals in a timely and compliant manner.

Responsibilities include following established menus and recipes, monitoring food storage and expiration dates, maintaining cooking equipment, keeping food preparation areas organized, supporting café operations, and helping ensure patient meals are prepared and delivered accurately and safely.

Why Join PSMC?

• Make a direct contribution to the comfort and care of our patients
• Join a team that supports patients, employees, and visitors throughout the hospital
• Gain healthcare food-service experience in a Critical Access Hospital
• Develop skills in food safety, patient meal service, and hospital operations
• Work in a collaborative environment guided by PSMC's WISER values
• Receive a comprehensive full-time benefits package

Key Responsibilities

Food Preparation & Service

• Assist with preparing food according to established menus and standardized recipes
• Prepare servings according to established portion-control requirements
• Assist with short-order and café food preparation
• Set up patient meal trays accurately and attractively
• Follow patient diet restrictions and meal-service requirements
• Deliver patient meals in a professional and friendly manner
• Support café cashier functions and customer service as needed

Food Safety & Sanitation

• Properly label, date, store, and rotate food
• Monitor hot and cold food temperatures
• Follow HACCP and food-safety practices
• Monitor dish machine wash and rinse temperatures
• Clean and sanitize food preparation areas, equipment, tray carriers, and café areas
• Follow infection-prevention and safety procedures
• Maintain compliance with Dietary Services policies and survey-readiness requirements

Patient & Department Support

• Prioritize safe and timely meal service for hospitalized patients
• Use appropriate patient identification procedures when delivering meals
• Assist with department inventory and stocking
• Safely operate kitchen and dietary equipment
• Work effectively during staffing shortages, emergencies, and changing department needs
• Assist with orienting new team members as needed
• Work collaboratively with Dietary Services and other PSMC departments

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Colorado Food Handler Card
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office and electronic health record systems
• Ability to communicate effectively in English
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced kitchen and hospital environment

Certification Requirement

• ServSafe Food Handler certification must be obtained within six (6) months of hire

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous kitchen or food-service experience
• Additional language skills

Kitchen experience is desired but is not required.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who:

• Provides friendly and respectful service
• Takes pride in preparing and serving food safely
• Pays attention to cleanliness, food safety, and details
• Works well as part of a team
• Can stay organized and productive in a fast-paced environment
• Is dependable and willing to help wherever needed
• Treats patients, visitors, and coworkers with compassion and respect
• Demonstrates PSMC's WISER values of Wholeness, Integrity, Stewardship, Excellence, and Respect

Schedule & Work Environment

This is a full-time position working approximately 40 hours per week.

Work is performed in a hospital kitchen environment and includes frequent interaction with patients, employees, visitors, and other members of the public. The position involves exposure to heat, cold, water, cleaning products, kitchen equipment, and other typical hospital and food-service conditions.

The position also requires regular standing, walking, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching, and other physical activity associated with kitchen and hospital food-service operations. The job description classifies the position as heavy work.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation

Hourly wage range: $18.00 - $21.60

Placement within the range will be based on qualifications, relevant experience, internal equity, and PSMC's applicable compensation practices.

Full-Time Benefits

Eligible full-time employees receive a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Generous paid time off
• Separate sick leave
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Optional short-term disability coverage
• 401(a) retirement plan with employee and employer contributions
• 457(b) voluntary retirement savings option
• Employee Assistance Program and wellness resources

About Pagosa Springs Medical Center

Pagosa Springs Medical Center is a Critical Access Hospital serving Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County in southwest Colorado. Our Dietary Services team plays an important role in supporting patient care by providing safe, timely, and high-quality meals throughout the hospital.

Located in the beautiful San Juan Mountains, Pagosa Springs offers an exceptional quality of life with year-round opportunities for hiking, skiing, fishing, mountain biking, rafting, hunting, and other outdoor recreation.

At PSMC, you'll join a collaborative team guided by our WISER values: Wholeness, Integrity, Stewardship, Excellence, and Respect.

Apply Today

If you're dependable, enjoy working as part of a team, and want to make a positive difference for patients and our community, we encourage you to apply.

Join PSMC's Dietary Services team and help provide the safe, friendly, and dependable service our patients rely on every day.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Pagosa Springs Medical Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws.