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On-Call/Registry/PRN Patient Dining Assistant (12 Hour Shifts)

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab · Chicago, IL · Part time

Posted Jul 15, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

These are 12-hour shifts. How do you stay sharp and friendly through a long day?

What they are checking: Stamina and steady customer service over long shifts.

Tell me about a time you had to deal with an unhappy customer. What did you do?

What they are checking: Calm, kind service when patients or families are frustrated.

Why do you want to work with patients in a rehab hospital?

What they are checking: Real interest in patients, since this role sees them every day at mealtime.

What would you do

A patient asks for a food that is not on their diet. What do you do?

What they are checking: Following the diet order kindly and involving the nurse or dietitian instead of giving in.

You notice a patient has barely eaten their meals for two days. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they report poor intake to the dietitian, as the posting asks.

How do you help a patient who has trouble choosing a meal because of a brain injury?

What they are checking: Patience and simple, clear communication with patients who have cognitive problems.

As an on-call worker, how do you get ready for a shift on a unit you have not been on recently?

What they are checking: Habit of checking diet changes and asking the team questions before serving.

About the work

A patient's diet order says mechanical soft. What does that mean, and how would you check their tray?

What they are checking: Understanding of texture diets, since wrong textures can cause choking for patients with swallowing problems.

How do you make sure the right tray goes to the right patient?

What they are checking: Use of patient identifiers, which prevents diet and allergy errors.

How do you handle food allergies when serving trays?

What they are checking: Careful checking of allergies, which can be life-threatening.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is the global leader in physical medicine and rehabilitation for adults and children with the most severe, complex conditions. By joining our team, you’ll be part of our life-changing mission and vision. You’ll contribute to an innovative, multifaceted culture that is second to none — one that embraces collaboration, excellence, discovery and compassion. You’ll play a role in something that’s never been done before as we integrate science and clinical care to help patients achieve better, faster outcomes — as we Advance Human Ability, together. Job Description Summary The Patient Dining Assistant will provide meal assistance, including meal selection, service and retrieval, to patients on a daily basis based on physician’s diet orders. Assistant will accurately serve food and beverages to patients in accordance with the patient’s diet prescription and verbally communicate patient concerns with the clinical dietitian i.e. education needs, inadequate meal consumption. The Patient Dining Assistant will consistently demonstrate support of the SRAlab statement of Vision, Mission and Core Values by striving for excellence, contributing to the team efforts and showing respect and compassion for patients and their families, fellow employees, and all others with whom there is contact at or in the interest of the institute. The Patient Dining Assistant will demonstrate SRAlab Core Attributes: Communication, Accountability, Flexibility/Adaptability, Judgment/Problem Solving, Customer Service and SRAlab Values (Hope, Compassion, Discovery, Collaboration, & Commitment to Excellence) while fulfilling job duties. Job Description The Patient Dining Assistant will: • Assist patients with making appropriate daily menu selections. • Prepare, assemble and deliver patient meal trays and snacks in accordance to physician diet orders. • Calculate modified diets/fluid restrictions, calories, etc. for meals only. • Stock the pantries on the nursing units with patient food. • Perform assorted kitchen duties including sanitation, set-up and completion of temperature logs. • Utilize computer to generate patient diet orders and process snacks and tube feedings. • Perform all other duties that may be assigned in the best interest of SRAlab. Reporting Relationships: • Reports directly to Patient Services Manager Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Communication and Influence: Verbal and written communication skills to convey information that may be somewhat complex, and/or to others who may have limited knowledge of the subject in question. • Technical Knowledge: Full use and application of basic diet information. Ability to successfully complete training and achieve passing score on all competency tests. • Interpersonal Relations: Ability to develop and maintain professional, trusting, positive working relationships with patients, supervisors, nursing and ancillary staff, and managers. • Diversity Awareness: Ability and willingness to be aware of, understand, respect, and value the diverse cultural, ethnic, gender, age, educational, professional, etc. backgrounds and styles of others and to adapt one‘s own behavior based on that understanding. • Customer Focus: Ability and willingness to provide excellent service to patients and clients (the customers). This includes seeking to meet customer needs, expectations, and demands quickly and effectively; remaining calm and professional when dealing with difficult customers; receiving complaints from customers and taking action to remedy the complaint; and treating the customer as valuable. • Drive and Dependability: Ability and willingness to demonstrate optimism, and passion when working. These include demonstrating commitment, persistence, and heightened personal effort in the face of obstacles and adversity; pursuing excellence for self and organization; having a sense of urgency; and possessing ambition. • Stress Tolerance and Flexibility: Ability to work productively and effectively in a fast-paced, stressful, demanding, and/or ambiguous work environment. • Communication: Clear and Professional communication is required. • Physical Demands: The job requires physical activity that includes near constant standing, bending, walking and balancing; occasional kneeling, climbing, stooping/crouching. The individual must have the ability to frequently lift and/or carry items weighing up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift/carry items weighing up to 50 pounds. Work also requires frequently pushing carts and racks requiring push forces ranging from 10 lbs to 50 lbs. Working Conditions: • Normal office environment with little or no exposure to dust or extreme temperature. • On-call/ As needed • 12 hour shifts - variety of shift hours The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Pay and Benefits*: Pay Range: 19.00 USD Hourly Benefits: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab offers a comprehensive benefits program that is competitive with our industry peers in our geographic locations: https://www.sralab.org/benefits *Benefits and benefits’ eligibility can vary by position. Benefits Learn about the benefits of working at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, including vacation hour, healthcare plans, 401k and more. Benefits Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunity without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, order of protection status, unfavorable discharge from military service, or any other characteristics protected by law. EEO is the Law | EEO is the Law - Know Your Rights | View our Full Policy Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is an Affirmative Action Employer as required by law.

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