Nutritional Assistant - Oxford, United Kingdom - Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Verified Company

Oxford, United Kingdom

1 day ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

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Description

We are currently looking to recruit a Nutritional Assistant.

The Hyper-Acute Stroke unit is an 20 -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.

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 this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and 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 the OUH YouTube channel.
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
Coordinate 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 handover, 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 handover 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 upda