Dietary Assistance Training Report

I am writing you in regards to the training I received during the first two weeks of my start date as a dietary aide. As I reflect on the past techniques and procedures I was trained on I would like to give a little feed back in hopes to strengthen your process within your training program.
The start of my training began in a group setting with multiple other new hires. I appreciated combining all of the newbie’s together because we all felt on the same playing field. This group training lasted two days and consisted of big picture concepts. With that being said, my particular position was not touched upon however we were all educated on Kearney Regional Hospital mission, goals, computer programming and overall vision. The approach is clever

because it allows all new hires to get acquainted and comfortable in their new setting as well as make them aware of the overall image that Kearney Regional hopes to achieve. My only complaint with my initial two days was the computer training. With a large group setting it was easy to follow when the director was showing us on the projector as we all observed from our seats however once I was asked to complete login and to navigate to my email I was lost. I couldn’t remember my training. With that being said, it would be helpful if the computer training was either divided into smaller groups where individuals could get some practice actually on the computer or even doing completely individual training sessions with new hires and allowing them to be hands on the entire time. I see this having a greater benefit in the long run because once we leave training we won’t have a teacher over our shoulder reminding us our next step, so it would be helpful to have had one on one training doing most the work ourselves initially.
After my first two days of training, I transitioned to the kitchen where my position as dietary aide would be spending majority of my time.

Once I walked through the kitchen doors it was extremely chaotic. I went from being in a seat, reading and watching my training into being thrown right into working. As a dietary aide, I prepare, distribute and pick up patients food tray. With that being said, I picked right up where the last shift had left off and that was preparing the food. I was told I would be working “underneath” someone, meaning I was supposed to be like a shadow, following their moves and asking questions along the way however the kitchen was short staffed and that shadowing turned into them directing me to my next task to go complete with no supervision but my own, following the directions shouted out a few minutes prior. Once the food was prepared, the next step was to plate the food this is where the chaotic nature calmed and I was able to spectate the process however after just a couple plates I was allowed to move in and plate myself. Luckily they let me watch first and then get my hands in there because in observing I was able to understand where and why food went where it did. After plating we delivered the food. This is where my initial thought of training came back into sight. I was “shadowing” my trainer and delivering food to the patients. First knocking then entering the room, placing the tray on their table and exiting the room. This process was the

easiest. After a few times of following my mentor I then tried myself, copying what I had just done, I knocked, entered the room, placed the tray on my patient’s table and then exited the room. Once all trays were distributed we came back to the kitchen to clean while we waited for the patients to finish. Cleaning was pretty self-explanatory. I was told hot temperatures and cleaner to kill bacteria, wiping down everything and pick up the area to make it clutter free. After about an hour I followed my trainer to pick up trays, this was the same process as dropping off except this time around we were picking up. Since I had done something similar just an hour before my trainer let me go right ahead and pick up as soon as we got down to the patients hallway. We returned back to the kitchen, washed dishes took out the trash and left for the next shift to come and pick up where we left off. I continued this process for two weeks, each day of work I would continue to first spectate then after a few minutes I would jump in. Each day I would become more and more independent and as my last day of training neared I was mentor free and doing all tasks be myself.
In order to fully explain and captivate my training experience, I decided to describe my few days of training because it gives an idea of how on the job training looks from my point of view.

My first day in the kitchen I was overwhelmed and felt like this is the worst possible way to through a new hire into the routine. However, now looking back I appreciate your technique of on the job training. My first week was extremely fast pasted but it was realistic and not being able to hide in the shadows but actually have to complete tasks just a few minutes after watching it allowed me to learn quick and pay attention. My only complaint during my first week of training other than the computer training was on occasion I felt I was too much on my own. Especially as stated above, on my first day I went for a period of time without my trainer and was doing tasks I had never done before let alone ever heard of without any supervision. I understand the kitchen was understaffed and luckily, what I was sent to do was straightforward with minimal errors. However had this been a different new hire, they may have been too overwhelmed and may not have returned the next day seeing that they didn’t have that crutch of their mentor by their side at all

times.
Overall, for the position as a dietary aide, I do believe on the job training is the best type of training for the job. It allows for the new hire to see, practice, and execute the tasks in real time. In the future, to ensure their is a distinct mentor for the new hire would be beneficial in that the new hire can be confident in knowing that the mentor will catch any mistakes along the way and eventually tasks will become familiar and the mentor will no longer need to be there.
Thanks for the opportunity to work for such a great company; I wish you the best of luck this holiday season!