Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

Exhibit 6.1. (continued)
Why?
Which duty is most unpleasant to you?
Why?
To be discussed by employee and immediate supervisor:
A. Quality of work D. Job satisfaction
B. Quantity of work E. Suggestions to make job more pleasant
C. Safety and sanitary standards
Comments:
Employee
Signature____________________________________________Date______________________
Supervisor
Signature ___________________________________________ Date______________________
Source: Puckett, 2002. Used by permission.
Job Descriptions and Specifications
The results of job analyses are documented in the form of job descriptions and job specifications
for all positions in the organization. A job description is a written record of the set of
tasks to be performed by the employee and the conditions under which the tasks are to be
accomplished. Job descriptions should be criteria based. Criteria-based job descriptions state
the task to be accomplished and how the job is to be accomplished. The JCAHO has also stated
that job descriptions should be age or population specific, for example, pediatrics, adult or
geriatrics or both. A job specification describes the qualifications required of the person responsible
for performing those tasks and applies to all candidates who apply for that job. In most
organizations, the job description and job specification are combined on one standard form.
In recent years, the JCAHO has placed increased emphasis on staff competency. Professionals
are being forced to be accountable to the public to ensure competency. Professional and continuing
education plus licensure or certification are several ways to determine competency. Job
descriptions and performance evaluations written in competency terms is another method that
can be used to ensure competency. Competency is multidimensional and includes “knowledge,
psychomotor skills, critical thinking abilities, and interpersonal attributes.” These traits need to
be incorporated into the professional food and nutrition job description. Competencies for clinical
R.D.s need to be for age-specific populations of customers (infants, adolescents, adults, elderly).
The JCAHO human resources standards define the key processes that should be carried out
by leaders of the organization to ensure competent staff.
An up-to-date job description and specification form must be kept for every job in the food service
department. The form must be closely followed when a new employee is hired for a position, when
a current employee and his or her supervisor develop objectives for the employee’s performance, and
when the employee’s performance is evaluated by the supervisor. Exhibit 6.2 is an example of a combined
job description and job specification for a position in the food service department.
Organization and Time Management
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