Credentialing Exam Content

2.1 Implement Diet Plans or menus Using Appropriate Modifications

• Translate nutrition plan into meals/foods to be served
• Modify menus to suit fiber content, texture, or feeding needs
• Modify menus to control for calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and minerals
• Modify menus to suit medical or other personal condition(s)
• Modify menus to suit various racial, cultural, and religious differences

2.2 Implement Physician’s Dietary Orders

• Recognize medical and nutrition terminology
• Demonstrate sensitivity to patient needs and food habits
• Provide needed diets from kitchen
• Determine availability of foods from kitchen
• Exhibit competency in suggesting the correct diet orders for clients
• Include patient input on diet prescribed by physician
• Recognize appropriateness of diet order for diagnosis

2.3 Apply Standard Nutrition Care Procedures

• Review client’s nutrition needs, based on guidelines provided
• Verify nutrition content of foods
• Identify sources to consult to assist in implementing nutrition care plans

2.4 Review Effectiveness of Nutrition Care Plan

• Identify effectiveness of the nutrition care plan with interdisciplinary team
• Evaluate care plans for individuality and specific needs

3.1 Check Meal Service for Food Quality, Portion Size, and Diet Accuracy

• Define proper procedures for mode of food service
• Evaluate attractiveness of food served
• Evaluate the type, quality, quantity, and temperature of food served
• Evaluate efficiency (time, cost) of foodservice system
• Evaluate compliance of meals served as posted

3.2 Manage the Preparation and Service of Special Nourishments and Supplemental Feedings

• Identify patients/clients who need nourishments or supplemental feeding according to established criteria
• Define schedules/needs for special food preparation/foodservice
• Monitor implementation of special foodservices
• Utilize appropriate supplemental products
• Monitor cost of supplements
• Monitor the passing of nourishments and supplements
• Develop a system to audit the passing of nourishments and supplements

3.3 Develop Continuous Quality Improvement Procedures for Foodservice Department

• Define objectives and standards for food service
• Implement and monitor quality indicators
• Implement necessary procedural changes
• Interpret and report to designated persons
• Develop auditing tool to determine the effectiveness of quality indicators
• Identify strategies when a resident refuses to accept the supplements or the special diet
• Implement approaches to facilitate patient’s compliance with nutritional therapy

3.4 Evaluate Food Acceptance Survey

• Identify patient food preferences and food problems
• Identify data needs for judging food preferences
• Develop and conduct food acceptance surveys
• Analyze data and make recommendations/changes

3.5 Utilize Appropriate Resources to Modify Standard Menus to Suit Patients’ Needs

• Verify client needs
• Utilize appropriate nutrition tables/charts and diet manuals
• Use standard food weights, measures, and recipes correctly
• Utilize peer and supervisory resources available as needed
• Honor legal and moral responsibilities regarding diet needs
• Modify menus based on local institutional or societal factor

4.1 Help Patients/Clients Choose Foods From Selective Menus

• Verify dietary requirements of patient/client
• Determine client’s present knowledge and needs
• Choose appropriate resource materials
• Determine client’s food preferences
• Suggest acceptable food substitutes
• Verify substitutes in terms of availability and facility practices
• Match food items identified with patient preferences

4.2 Select and Use Nutrition Education Materials

• Develop a plan for nutrition education
• Identify educational materials and resources
• Use resource materials and equipment in teaching

4.3 Adapt Teaching to Client Educational Needs

• Verify client readiness and ability to learn
• Ascertain background and knowledge of clients
• Implement a teaching plan
• Identify appropriate/available educational and social resources

5.1 Develop and Maintain Employee Time Schedules and Assignments

• Prepare a time schedule
• Maintain time schedule chart/records
• Prepare absence/tardy reports for personnel files
• Identify overall staffing needs
• Calculate full time equivalents
• Identify and assess daily tasks
• Analyze capabilities and preferences of employees available
• Develop a work assignment chart
• Explain and coordinate work assignments

5.2 Define Personnel Needs and Job Functions

• Conduct personnel needs analysis
• Conduct task analysis
• Write job descriptions
• Write detailed job specifications
• Prepare a personnel organization chart

5.3 Interview and Select Employees

• Identify fair employment laws and practices
• Develop interview procedures for department
• Explain department procedures and policies to applicants
• Assess applicants and record data in file
• Document selection procedures and policies

5.4 Manage Department Personnel

• Maintain personnel records in proper form
• Identify personnel management laws and practices
• Identify promotion/termination criteria
• Prepare a performance evaluation
• Justify personnel decisions including documentation for promotion and termination
• Follow disciplinary procedures to correct a problem

6.1 Implement Required Changes in Foodservice Department

• Identify existing problems/needs
• Conduct a staff complaint/grievance session
• Write memos presenting changes with justification
• Prepare plan of action to address problems/needs
• Communicate daily with staff
• Establish hygiene standards for personnel according to the FDA Food Code

6.2 Prepare, Plan, and Conduct Department Meetings

• Prepare and post meeting notice and agenda
• Plan meeting facilities and procedures
• Meet with key personnel to develop plans
• Follow proper procedures to conduct meeting
• Write minutes of meeting
• Plan follow-up actions resulting from meeting

6.3 Present Work Procedures and Plans

• Identify and explain department resources/equipment
• Prepare personnel organization and responsibilities chart
• Explain department responsibilities and liabilities
• Identify role responsibilities and competency standards
• Explain plan of action to implement procedures or plans

6.4 Teach Employees

• Orient new employees to facility procedures
• Conduct/arrange inservice training (handling emergencies, difficult clients, new equipment)
• Conduct discussion on professional and ethical expectations
• Instruct employees on compliance with HIPAA guidelines
• Provide follow-up after orientation
• Provide ongoing food safety training to employees
• Ensure employees’ compliance with safe food preparation practices

6.5 Justify Improvements in the Department Design and Layout

• Maintain records of suggestions and complaints received
• Conduct department improvement discussion session with staff
• Write a memo presenting improvement recommendations
• Evaluate work flow, essential equipment relative to new department designs or construction
• Research concepts/products related to department facility design
• Prepare proposals, specifications for new construction or renovation in layout/design changes

6.6 Meet Goals and Priorities for Department

• Prioritize department tasks
• Review department goals against resources available
• Conduct staff discussion sessions to review organizational goals
• Prepare short-term and long-term goals for dietary department
• Follow standard sanitation and infectious disease control practices

7.1 Represent Department at External Meetings

• Present goals and policies
• Identify ways of communicating with other departments
• Discuss organization components and their interrelationships
• Suggest cooperative ways to solve problems
• Participate in state/national professional meetings

7.2 Coordinate Department Services

• Identify outside groups important to the work of the department
• Prepare a list of services
• Develop a services plan to meet community needs
• Identify internal groups/departments who might work together to provide services to the community
• Honor patients’ rights while providing nutritional care

7.3 Communicate Patient/Client Information to Other Health Professionals

• Identify and document patient needs and problems
• Conduct client referrals as necessary
• Utilize consultant guidance
• Distribute patient information assuring confidentiality

7.4 Participate in Patient/Client Care Conferences and Case Presentations

• Prepare for a patient care conference
• Make a brief presentation on a case
• Identify problems and implement goals and approaches with appropriate follow-up

7.5 Participate in Regulatory Agency Surveys

• Identify regulatory standards for the department
• Develop an appropriate plan of correction
• Demonstrate professional interaction with surveyors
• Utilize regulatory agencies and sanitarians as professional resources

8.1 Purchase, Receive, Store, and Distribute Food Supplies and Equipment Following Established Sanitation and Quality Standards

• Identify appropriate grades and inspections for food
• Procure food and water from approved sources
• Verify the quality and quantity of food supplies and equipment received
• Check supplier invoices against facility purchase order
• Recognize the hazards associated with types of food packaging
• Recognize the signs of contamination upon receipt and in storage
• Process rejections for unacceptable products
• Label, date, and monitor food to ensure rotation (FIFO)
• Prevent environmental contamination of food
• Establish and maintain security procedures

8.2 Protect Food in All Phases of Preparation, Holding, Service, Cooking, and Transportation Using HACCP Guidelines

• Identify potentially hazardous foods and foodborne pathogens and their control
• Recognize the causes, symptoms, and types of foodborne illnesses including biological, chemical and physical types
• Monitor time and temperature to limit growth of or destroy microorganisms
• Enforce employees’ compliance with safe food preparation practices
• Prevent cross-contamination of food
• Identify appropriate techniques for temperature retention
• Ensure the safe cooling of food
• Establish critical limits
• Establish the corrective action to be taken when critical limits are exceeded
• Establish procedures to identify and monitor critical control points (CCP)
• Establish effective record-keeping systems that document HACCP
• Anticipate emergency preparedness procedures necessary to assure a safe food supply
• Develop a crisis management plan to address an outbreak of foodborne illness

8.3 Manage Physical Facilities to Ensure Compliance with Safety and Sanitation Regulations

• Identify federal safety laws/regulations for facility
• Identify appropriate environmental controls for water supply, waste disposal, and ventilation
• Follow an integrated pest management (IPM) system
• Prepare a safety inspection checklist
• Write an inspection report on hazard control
• Assure cleaning and sanitation of equipment and utensils

8.4 Conduct Routine Maintenance and Inspection of Equipment

• Identify equipment maintenance requirements from manufacturers’ manuals
• Set up maintenance contracts
• Correct equipment malfunctions and potential problems
• Set up an equipment maintenance schedule
• Implement preventive maintenance schedule for equipment

8.5 Instruct Employees in Equipment Use and Maintenance for Sanitation

• Identify training resources and needs
• Develop and implement training programs
• Evaluate equipment in terms of maintenance needs and costs
• Inspect all areas of department for sanitary conditions
• Interpret and use MSDS
• Write cleaning procedures for utensils, equipment, and work areas

8.6 Organize Work Flow and Use of Equipment

• Analyze tasks to determine overlapping effort or equipment use
• Plan proper placement and use of equipment
• Simplify work procedures and steps
• Monitor work flow; identify and correct problems
• Assure adequate handwashing sinks, lavatory facilities, and supplies

9.1 Prepare Standardized Recipes for Food Production

• Identify food elements of a standardized recipe
• Calculate menus, recipes, diet census, tally sheets, and cafeteria needs to develop requisitions
• Compute proper portions using appropriate food charts/ references
• Identify ways of calculating cost and nutrition content of standard recipe
• Develop proper cooking procedures, including sequence

9.2 Specify Standards and Procedures for Preparing Food

• Develop food quality control standards, e.g., appearance, temperature, acceptance
• Prepare procedures and forms to monitor food production
• Develop procedures for monitoring food waste control

9.3 Identify Equipment Needs

• Select equipment using appropriate criteria
• Review equipment usage and requirements

9.4 Test New Recipes

• Develop criteria for recipe acceptability
• Standardize new recipes
• Evaluate client acceptance of new recipes

9.5 Supervise the Production and Distribution of Food

• Check quality/quantity of food served
• Check adherence to delivery schedules and procedures
• Keep records for monitoring and accountability objectives

9.6 Prepare and Maintain Inventory Records

• Prepare an inventory status report
• Review inventory system to control costs
• Utilize computer-based inventory control system

10.1 Write Purchase Specifications and Orders

• Identify purchasing policies and procedures of department
• Complete purchase order/requisition forms
• Evaluate facility needs, budget restrictions, and products available
• Prepare proposals for new equipment
• Gather and evaluate product information
• Be familiar with computer applications

10.2 Supervise Cash Activities and Reports

• Monitor cash received from cash registers
• Prepare a gross receipts report
• Adjust and use cash registers
• Implement and monitor security procedures

10.3 Manage Revenue-Generating Services

• Calculate cost and set prices for catered events
• Plan food service and menus for catered events
• Estimate price-per-unit serving for catered events
• Use cost-control techniques to balance revenue budget
• Research new revenue-generating opportunities
• Prepare business plan and justification for new revenue-generating programs
• Promote existing and new revenue-generating programs

10.4 Write Detailed Specifications for Capital Purchases

• Evaluate existing capital equipment
• Evaluate replacement equipment
• Write budget justification for new equipment
• Write detailed requisition and specifications for new equipment

10.5 Evaluate Vendor Performance

• Compile product performance data
• Compile vendor performance data
• Write a vendor/product comparison summary
• Justify vendor/product selection

10.6 Supervise the Purchase of Food and Supplies

• Check inventory and identify purchase needs
• Write purchase orders
• Check supplies received against purchase order
• Maintain inventory records

10.7 Monitor/Review Cost of Menus Against Budget and Guidelines

• Compute cost of menus and catered meals
• Conduct a price-comparison study
• Prepare a budget
• Calculate daily cost per client

10.8 Implement Cost-Effective Procedures

• Review bids
• Review actual costs with budget estimates to identify problem areas
• Recommend cost-saving purchasing practices
• Recommend cost-saving department practices

10.9 Administrate Salary and Wage Adjustment for Employees

• Identify laws, regulations, and agreements regarding employee compensation
• Develop guidelines for salary scales and merit raises
• Prepare an estimate of personnel costs for a foodservice department
• Provide insurance, tax, and other forms for personnel