How to become a Dietary Aide

Dietary aides assist dietitians to maintain high standards of nutritional care for patients in hospital settings.

Personal requirements for a Dietary Aide

Good communication skills
Enjoy working with people
Good organisational skills

Education & Training for a Dietary Aide

You can work as a dietary aide without formal qualifications. You will probably get some informal training on the job. Entry to this occupation may be improved if you have qualifications. You may like to consider a VET qualification. As subjects and prerequisites can vary between institutions, you should contact your chosen institution for further information. You can also become a dietary aide through an apprenticeship or traineeship in Catering Operations or Allied Health Assistance. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10.

Additional information

Students must be 18 years of age or older if undertaking modules that involve the service of alcohol.

Duties & Tasks of a Dietary Aide

Dietary aides:

Discuss the dietary needs of patients with healthcare professionals
Interview patients to discuss food preferences
Assist with the planning of menus for patients
Ensure food is hygienically and correctly prepared and well presented
Maintain diet records
Assist with the implementation of a nutrition care plan in consultation with dietitians
Assist with training staff to prepare and serve meals for patients with particular diets
Use computers for data entry and retrieval.

Tasks

Providing nutrition assessments, nutrition management, and nutrition education, research and training
Monitoring food intake and quality to provide nutritional care
Planning diets and menus, and instructing people on the requirements and importance of diet and on the planning and preparation of food
Consulting with other Health Professionals and related workers to manage the dietary and nutritional needs of patients
Collecting, organising and assessing data relating to health and nutritional status of individuals, groups and communities
Supervising the preparation and serving of meals
Planning, conducting and evaluating nutrition intervention programs and compiling educational material
Calculating nutritional values of food served

Working conditions for a Dietary Aide

Dietary aides may be required to undertake rostered weekend work and shiftwork.

Employment Opportunities for a Dietary Aide

Dietary aides are employed in public and private hospitals, as well as in larger nursing homes. Demand depends on the general level of funding within the health system.

Specializations

Dietary Aide

Dietary aides assist dietitians to maintain high standards of nutritional care for patients in hospital settings.

Average age
34 years
Future Growth
Very strong
Gender Share
94% female
Average full-time
42 hours
Weekly Pay
$1,992
Skill level rating
Very high skill
Unemployment
Lower unemployment
Full-Time Share
51% Full-Time
Employment Size
7,500 workers
Employment by state
ACT: 2.1%
NSW: 33.9%
NT: 1.3%
QLD: 21.4%
SA: 5.8%
TAS: 1.7%
VIC: 25.3%
WA: 8.6%
Age brackets
15-19: 0.1%
20-24: 7.2%
25-34: 45.3%
35-44: 24.5%
45-54: 14.1%
55-59: 4.6%
60-64: 2.6%
65 and Over: 1.6%
Education level
Advanced Diploma/Diploma: 4.1%
Bachelor degree: 46.7%
Certificate III/IV: 1.1%
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 46.5%
Year 10 and below: 0.2%
Year 11: 0.1%
Year 12: 1.4%