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Page 1: Summer 2015 When Hot is Cold and Cold is Hot · Summer 2015 PM 40801507 When Hot is Cold and Cold is Hot ... Donna Kubista, CNM Karen Kwan, NM Shannon Cox, NM Matthew Bombardier,

SUG

GES

TED

PRI

CE

–$5

.95

www.csnm.ca Summer 2015

PM 40801507

When Hot is Cold and Cold is HotThermometer strategies and options to avoid thermo-nightmares

PLUS

BALANCING EXPECTATIONSBenchmarking and

crunching the numbers

AND

LIVE AND LEARNCultivating the art of insight

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Empowering members. Creating leaders. Building professional excellence.

www.csnm.ca

MUTUAL SUPPORT

Accredited Nutrition Managers supervise food prepara-tion and service in healthcare facilities, commercialcatering, government agencies, schools and universities,the hospitality industry, consulting services, private prac-tice and food service sales.

As one of the largest organizations of its kind in Canada,the CSNM supports Nutrition Managers in their pursuitof excellence in all areas of practice.

Nutrition Managers make supplier choices regularly aspart of their responsibilities; many of these suppliersare corporate members of the CSNM or support theorganization through advertising in Food Service &Nutrition magazine.

The food service industry in Canada is growing.As suppliers seek innovative ways to improvetheir products, members of the CSNM pursueexcellence in delivering them to their clients.

Mutual support among suppliers, NutritionManagers and the CSNM ensures a brightfuture for the food service industry.

To learn more about the CSNM, visit our website.

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inside this issueinside this issue

featuresfeatures

SUMMER 2015SUMMER 2015

regular departmentsregular departments

C A N A D I A N S O C I E T Y O F N U T R I T I O N M A N A G E M E N T N E W S

OUR COVER STORY

5 WHEN HOT IS COLD AND COLD IS HOTThermometer strategies and options to avoid thermo-nightmaresBy Melissa Vaccaro, MS, CHO

4 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By Lorrie Plein, NM

15 CSNM CORPORATE MEMBER PROFILE By Stan Michalak

16 MANAGEMENT NOTEBOOK By Frema Engel

18 ASK AN EXPERT By Heather Truber, NM

20 INDUSTRY & CSNM NEWS

21 À LA CARTE

21 ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

22 CONTINUING EDUCATION QUIZ

8 BALANCING EXPECTATIONSBenchmarking and crunching the numbersBy Karl Maier, MBA

12 LIVE AND LEARNCultivating the art of insight By Patricia Katz, MCE, CHRP, HoF

3C A N A D I A N S O C I E T Y O F N U T R I T I O N M A N A G E M E N T N E W S – S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

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8

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR

ADVERTISING

ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATOR

CONTRIBUTORS

CSNM EDITOR

Stan Michalak

April Krysowaty

Brianna Hopfner

Frema Engel

Patricia Katz, MCE, CHRP, HoF

Karl Maier, MBA

Stan Michalak

Heather Truber, NM

Melissa Vaccaro, MS, CHO

Margaret Brausse, CNM

PRESIDENT

PAST PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT-ELECT

SECRETARY/TREASURER

ADMISSIONS/MEMBERSHIP

ACCREDITATION

EXAMINATIONS

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CERTIFICATION

MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS

BRITISH COLUMBIA REP

ALBERTA REP

SASKATCHEWAN REP

ONTARIO REP 1

ONTARIO REP 2

Lorrie Plein, NM

Barb Cockwell, CNM

Natasha Mooney, NM

Heather Shannon, CNM

Dean Cox, CNM

Angela Di Mambro, CNM

Sue Krueger, CNM

Dave Lebert, CNM

Pat Sylvain, CNM

Margaret Brausse, CNM

Daphne Spear, CNM

Donna Kubista, CNM

Karen Kwan, NM

Shannon Cox, NM

Matthew Bombardier, NM

V O L U M E 1 2 • N U M B E R 2 • S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

Produced four times per year by

RETURN ALL UNDELIVERABLES TO:

Cutting Edge Communications Inc.201 – 1200 Pembina HighwayWinnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2A7TOLL-FREE PHONE 1-866-669-2377TOLL-FREE FAX 1-866-669-2336

EMAIL [email protected] www.cecommunications.ca

Canadian Society of Nutrition Management1370 Don Mills Road, Suite 300

Toronto, Ontario M3B 3N7TOLL-FREE PHONE 1-866-355-2766

FAX (416) 441-0591EMAIL [email protected] www.csnm.ca

©2015 Cutting Edge Communications Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of thispublication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without theprior written consent of the publisher and the Canadian Society of Nutrition Man-agement. The opinions expressed by contributors of Food Service & Nutrition may notrepresent the views of the CSNM or Cutting Edge Communications. Products includedin Food Service & Nutrition are for information purposes and do not constitute andendorsement by this publication. Printed in Canada.

Postage paid in Winnipeg.Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement

PM 40801507

Being declared the 51st CSNM president is an honourand inspires me to continue to grow as a professional.While I follow in the footsteps of many great leaders,

I am amazed at how far our profession has come. The visionof several food service supervisors has guided our society to-wards 50 years of strength and growth. At the 50th Anniver-

sary Celebration, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with some of mypredecessors who are still passionate about nutrition management.

The CSNM board is a dynamic group of leaders from across Canada who aredevoted to promoting the nutrition management profession. Over the last twoyears, the board has created a Strategic Plan, revised Bylaws to be in compli-ance with the Canadian Not for Profit Act and updated policies. The foundationis laid. This year, the board will be focusing on membership features, answer-ing the question: “What does CSNM do for me?” At the conference, I asked eachmember: student, active or corporate, to explore what their membership cando for them. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

Our Volunteer Coordinator has recruited many volunteers willing to assistthe association. Currently, we are looking at how to best utilize their talents.We are also looking at ways to give more voice to our student and corporatemembers.

A personal goal for this year is to have elections for all vacant board posi-tions of three or more candidates. Our membership deserves choice as to whogoverns their society. If you are interested in serving on the CSNM board, letus know how the board can help you prepare for this role. =A call for nomi-nations will be made in the new year.

This year, CSNM awarded their first Mentor Award to a member who hadmentored students by teaching and sharing their experience. As president-elect at the time, I was part of the awards committee and was privileged toread about the great things our members are doing to promote our profession.Help us recognize your peers by nominating them for a CSNM award.

Nutrition management is an honourable profession! Everyone deserves ac-cess to good food with the assistance they need in a safe and stimulating en-vironment. CSNM members help make this happen.

Lorrie Plein, NMPresident, CSNM

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

4

CSNM: Still PassionateAfter all these yearsBy Lorrie Plein, NM

C A N A D I A N S O C I E T Y O F N U T R I T I O N M A N A G E M E N T N E W S

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Throughout the day in afood service facility, em-ployees are asked to dou-ble-check temperatures. Isthe hot food hot? Is the

cold food cold? Is the thermometerworking correctly? Is it giving an ac-curate temperature? Is it being used

correctly and is the correct type ofthermometer being used? Thermome-ters are one of the most importanttools in a food service facility. Don’tunderestimate their value.

Take those thermometers out of thedesk drawers or pockets and use them.There is simply no way to know for

sure if food is being prepared, cookedor stored at the proper temperaturewithout using a thermometer. Therehave been many studies to prove thatcolour, look, texture or “feel” of thefood are simply not sufficient ways todetermine if the final cook tempera-ture has been reached.

Thermocouples Thermistors – digitalinstant stem read

Oven cord thermometers Dial thermometers

When Hot is Cold and Cold is HotThermometer strategies and options to avoid thermo-nightmares

By Melissa Vaccaro, MS, CHO

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It is important to recognize whatkind of thermometer you have, its in-tended use and limitations. Read themanufacturer’s instructions and keepthem handy for reference. Thermome-ter readings may be correct most ofthe time, but they do require care andattention to be accurate.

Aside from thermometers to takefood temperatures, there are manyother pieces of equipment in a foodfacility that have built-in thermome-ters (i.e. ovens). It is important to notonly check these thermometers regu-larly, but to know how to verify thatthey are working correctly and givinga correct temperature measurement.

THERMOMETER BASICSThermometers must be in degrees Cel-sius (C) or both in Celsius (C) and de-grees Fahrenheit (F). Thermometersonly in Fahrenheit (F) must be accu-rate to +/- 2°F. Thermometers withboth C and F scales must be accurateto +/- 1°C.

Check the accuracy of each foodthermometer at least once a day, everytime it is dropped and after it hasbeen exposed to extreme tempera-tures. Keep a log book to track yourthermometer checks. In the end, if it’snot correct, calibrate it.

There are two ways to check the ac-curacy of a food thermometer: icewater and boiling water. Many bi-

metallic stem food thermometers havea calibration nut under the dial thatcan be adjusted. Check the package forinstructions. Even if the food ther-mometer cannot be calibrated, itshould still be checked for accuracyusing either method. Any inaccuraciescan be accounted for when using thefood thermometer or better yet, it can(and probably should) be replaced.

Ice-point method: Fill a large glasswith finely crushed ice. Add clean tapwater to the top of the ice and stirwell. Immerse the food thermometerstem a minimum of 2 inches into themixture, touching neither the sidesnor the bottom of the glass. Wait aminimum of 30 seconds before adjust-ing. Without removing the stem fromthe ice, hold the adjusting nut underthe head of the thermometer with asuitable tool and turn the head so thepointer reads 0°C (or 32°F).

Boiling water: Bring a pot of cleantap water to a full rolling boil. Im-merse the stem of a food thermometerin the boiling water to a minimum of2 inches and wait at least 30 seconds.Without removing the stem from thepan, hold the adjusting nut under thehead of the food thermometer with asuitable tool and turn the head so thethermometer reads 100°C (or 212° F).For true accuracy, distilled watershould be used and the atmosphericpressure must be one atmosphere

(29.921 inches of mercury). Waterboils at a lower temperature in a highaltitude area.

MONITORING AND CORRECTIVEACTIONSTime and temperature abuse of foodsis one of the leading causes of food-borne illness. Preventing that abuse isa critical responsibility for managersin the foodservice industry. Guestswant hot foods hot and cold foodscold. However, if the food was mis-handled before consumption, temper-atures abused, or not cooked fully dueto an inaccurate thermometer, simplyreferring to food as “hot” or “cold”will not keep them from getting ill.Temperature measuring devices pro-vide food employees a way to monitorfoods during storage, transport, prepa-ration and holding.

Foodservice managers determinewhat types of thermometers are used,where they are used and how oftenthey are checked. They will also de-termine who will be checking. Whenmaking these determinations, con-sider the scope of production and themenu. Focus in on “Time and Temper-ature Controlled for Safety” foods (TCSfoods) – those foods most likely tocause a foodborne illness. Employeeeducation on proper use of thermome-ters they use in their daily activitiesis essential.

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Bimetallic-coil thermometers Bimetallic-coil stem thermometers Disposable temperature indicators Infrared thermometers

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Make thermometer checks and foodtemperature checks a part of yourdaily (by shift) and weekly food safetyplans. Use log sheets to documentwhen food temperatures are checkedand when thermometers are cali-brated. At minimum, calibrate ther-mometers weekly. Do not assume thatthe thermometer is always workingcorrectly. All thermometers can fail towork properly and all refrigerationand/or freezer units will fail at sometime or another. The more often ther-mometers and temperatures arechecked throughout the facility, thesooner a problem is caught and re-solved quickly with little loss of food.

Managers should monitor and verifywith a system of daily monitoring, i.e.double check the checker. This is notto assume that an employee did some-thing wrong, but temperatures can befragile – the slightest deviation couldbe cause for concern.

Every facility should have correctiveaction plans in place for situationswhere a critical limit is not met orequipment failure occurs. This is apro-active way to deal with a situationbefore it happens. Employees shouldknow exactly what to do in an emer-gency. For example, if an in-use ther-mometer is found to be incorrect, theemployee should first determine ifthere is a possibility that any foodmay be unsafe due to the thermome-

ter’s inaccuracy. If the faulty ther-mometer was used to determine a finalcooking temperature, the food maynot have reached its required final in-ternal temperature; a corrective actionplan would require that the product becooked further. If the cooking tem-perature cannot be reached, anothercorrective action would call for theproduct to be held and destroyed. Al-ways check with your regulatoryagency to determine any safety stan-dards for corrective actions that arepermitted.

What happens when the freezerfails to work, but the bi-metal tem-perature gauge on the outside of theunit says -18°C? The gauge is notworking and the unit temperature isrising and is currently -2°C. Asidefrom contacting a repair person, thecorrective action plan may have sev-eral options. If there are additionalfreezers within the freezer, move thefood to the alternate unit. If the foodhas begun to thaw, that does notmean it is bad. As long as the time andtemperature controlled for safety(TCS) foods have not elevated over5°C, the foods can be safely removedfrom the broken freezer and placedinto a refrigerator for thawing. Thecorrective action plan would detailthese decisions.

The goal of the corrective actionplan is to ensure that unsafe food is

never served to anyone. Corrective ac-tion plans allow employees not topanic when they find out that some-thing has gone wrong. They shouldknow where to find the plans and howto implement and document the cor-rective actions effectively.

The temperature measuring deviceindustry has grown exponentially inthe last decade. There is a temperaturemeasuring device for everything andmany are now linked to computerizedsystems for more detailed monitoring,verification and analysis. However,even the simplest thermometer is aninvaluable tool in the foodservice in-dustry. It is important that the correctdevice is used for its intended pur-pose. Monitoring and verification offood temperatures with accurate ther-mometers is imperative to ensuringfood is safe. ����

Liquid-filled thermometers Bimetallic-coil appliance andoven thermometers

Dry-storage temperature monitors Package indicators

Melissa Vaccaro, MS, CHO,is a food program specialistfor the PA Department ofAgriculture and an executiveboard member for the Cen-tral Atlantic States Associa-tion of Food and DrugOfficials (CASA). She is co-author of the SURETM Complete HACCP FoodSafety Series, which features HACCP manuals formanagers, employees and trainers.• [email protected]

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CONTINUING EDUCATION ARTICLE

The economy of Alberta islinked to the price of oiland, with the price hoveringat approximately half of its20-year historical average,

the provincial government is lookingat an estimated $7 billion shortfall. AsAlberta faces tough economic times,departments are reviewing costs andmaking tough decisions. In this globaleconomy, no matter where you are inthe country, knowing your numbers isimportant!

When making those decisions infood service, phrases like benchmark-ing and cost per patient day are bound

to come up in conversation. One defi-nition of benchmarking is this: “Theprocess of measuring an organization’sinternal processes then identifying,understanding and adapting outstand-ing best practices from other organiza-tions considered to be “Best in Class.”

A favourite benchmarking phrase is:“Without data, all you have is anopinion!” and more than opinions areneeded to see a clear picture. Remem-ber that benchmarking is not the an-swer, it is a tool used to answer whycosts are currently as they are. Thereare many other tools that are used toshow costs; graphs, spreadsheets and

month end reports. Keeping an openmind and knowing that a combinationof information will provide the mostdata and the least number of opinionsto inform your decision making.

WHERE DO WE GET THE NUMBERS?What do all the numbers mean andhow do we find them? The first placeto start is a patient day. This numberis usually a midnight census or acount. How many patients or residentsare in a bed at midnight? A count istaken each day for that month andadded up. That will become the Monthto Date (MTD) patient days and, as the

BALANCINGEXPECTATIONS

Benchmarking and crunching the numbersBy Karl Maier, MBA

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9C A N A D I A N S O C I E T Y O F N U T R I T I O N M A N A G E M E N T N E W S – S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

budget year progresses, a Year to Date(YTD) number will also be calculated.This number will be used as the de-nominator or divisor to get a net costper patient day. Next are the costs,which are usually categorized intofour main categories: Salary and Ben-efits (Labour); Food; Supplies; and,Other Supplies.

Labour is the expense of the front-line staff who produce, assemble anddeliver the trays or meals; in largersites this will also include diet officefunctions. Each site or company willhave a process for determining if man-agement staff are in or out of thislabour cost with the trend being tohave all staff (including management)included. Typically the only labour costnot included in the labour expense isClinical Nutrition or Clinical Dieticians.

Food expenses are categorized byManagement Information Systems(MIS) codes to certain categories withthe ability to drill down into individ-ual costs. MIS codes are the nationalstandard for financial and statisticalhealthcare reporting in Canada andmaintained by the Canadian Instituteof Health Information (CIHI). An ex-ample of categories include Fresh Fruitand Vegetables or Milk and Dairy.

A common question is: “What’s thedifference between Supplies and Othersupplies? Supplies are simply the itemsused to create a tray or a meal. Thiswill vary from site to site, as trays arenot commonplace for Long-Term Care(LTC). This would include napkins,straws, etc. Other Supplies are all theindirect expenses such as travel, edu-cation, etc. which support the staff.

The four category expenses are thenprorated to get a net cost per patientday. The difference between the cost perpatient day and the net cost per patientday takes into account revenue fromvarious sources such as retail or anotherinternal department for supplies.

THE BENCHMARKING JOURNEYThese four categories are the mostbasic costs to start comparing both in-ternally and externally. One strategyis to compare costs of similarly sizedsites or like sites by bed numbers(Acute Care to Acute Care, LTC to LTC,etc.). Now that you have your Monthto Date (MTD) and Year to Date (YTD)number, what’s next?

One mistake that can happen onthe benchmarking journey is to wait

until the numbers being collected forexternal benchmarking are an exactcomparison of apples to apples. It ismore important to have a startingpoint to compare, rather than gettinghung up on the data needing to be ex-actly the same. Think of it as compar-ing Gala and Macintosh apples, bothare apples, and that might be closeenough to start comparing. A phraseused to define when one is stuck onthe numbers, not on the actions

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needed to change the numbers isAnalysis Paralysis. This can happenwhile searching for the perfect data.Another common phrase in bench-marking is Variance is Our Enemy! Oneexample of variance is the differencebetween three different costs; lowestcost, average cost and the highestcost. Many examples of benchmarkingtake the average of the like group andthen measure how close each site is tothe average. Those with costs the far-thest from the average have the mostwork to bring costs in line.

A point to consider first is wherethe majority of the costs are created.In most healthcare sites, labour is thelargest component contributing tothe net cost per patient day. Approx-imately 70 to 80 per cent of overallcosts are labour. That is a staggeringfigure; the remaining 20 to 30 per-cent would include all costs for ware-washing, chemicals, groceries, papersupplies etc.

Now that a basic knowledge of thebenchmarking costs are known, what’snext? Understanding what makes upthese numbers is very important.Starting at the site level, some of themain questions relate to what yourstaff is doing at what time. This iswhere benchmarking, patient or resi-dent satisfaction and process improve-ment collide. A common LEAN term isGoing to Gemba (Gemba means wherethe work is being done). Understand-ing what tasks staff are performing atcertain times of the day will be key tocontrolling labour.

Are staff being as efficient as possi-ble in their tasks? Rates of pay, shiftdifferentials and premiums are notsomething that can be adjusted, butensuring that staff are starting andfinishing at the correct times and per-forming their duties as optimally aspossible are paramount. Some areas tolook at are the activity schedules,

preparation, serving and warewashingduties. Are staff travel times mini-mized from the kitchen to the nursingunits? Being able to see what staff aredoing in 15 minute increments givesthe granularity needed to get a goodpicture. Often, activity schedules don’tmatch what staff are actually doing;finding out the truth provides themost accurate view. Other forms oflabour waste can be related to trans-portation, motion or waiting.

The dishroom or the warewashingarea is another area to look for waste.Plate waste audits are the most effec-tive way to investigate food waste. Ifpatients or residents aren’t eatingtheir meals, there’s an issue. Is thefood poorly prepared? Are the portionsizes too large? Questions to ask in thedishroom include: Are staff batchingitems in the warewashing area? Aredish racks being fully and correctlyloaded to reduce water and chemicalwaste? From a sustainability perspec-tive healthcare does not pay enoughattention to the cost of utilities, asdepartments are rarely asked to be ac-countable for that usage.

IT COMES DOWN TO THE FOODWhen it comes to food cost, the menuwill drive the majority of the costs.This is where standardization is so im-portant when comparing similar sites;having the same menu and similarservices levels the playing field. Wasteis the biggest factor attributing to ahigh net-food-cost-per-patient-day.Are the cooks overproducing and cre-ating waste? Are food items beingovercooked and discarded and thenhaving to be replaced? This is wherethe buy prepared versus taking rawproducts and cooking the productscomes in. As the industry changes andmore commercially prepared foods arebeing used, it is even more importantto ensure that these highly priced

items are not wasted.Another food waste is not using the

correct serving utensils to serve thefood on a beltline, cell or dining room.Ensuring that proper scoops, ladlesand serving utensil are used can en-sure accurate portion control and re-duce waste.

Supplements and snacks are an-other area where waste is easily gen-erated. The supplement and snackcosts also have a labour component asthe snack items need to be preparedand supplements are usually pouredinto glasses and labelled. A “three-strike rule” has been mentioned bysome. This means that if the supple-ment or snack ordered was not con-sumed by the resident or patient threetimes in a row, continuation of itwould need to be reviewed.

In LTC facilities, having a great re-lationship with nursing is vital to en-suring the supplement or snacks aregiven to the appropriate resident orpatient and they’re being persuaded toconsume it. Another strategy is tomake all staff and nursing aware ofsupplement costs. Awareness of costsmakes everybody more accountable.

How can costs be contained in a re-tail environment? Ensuring that itemsare properly priced is very important.The hours of operation and non-peak-hours staff can affect overall cost.Theft is unfortunately another areathat needs to be reviewed as the lossin profit can add up quickly. If em-bedded retail within a site is not ac-counted for and is combined with costper patient day, these costs can skewthe numbers positively, but morelikely negatively. This may mean thatpatient food services is subsidizing re-tail services.

Another measure of efficiency isworked hours per patient day. Insteadof dollars, the number of worked hoursare used as the main measure. This

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number is then again divided by pa-tient days and measures overall effi-ciency. The advantage of this measureis that it negates any comparisons dueto wage, benefit or shift premium dif-ferences. Each similar bed group hasan average worked hours per patientday value and variance within the bedgroups can be compared.

Scorecards are another way to get aquick visual representation of manymeasures. The power of the scorecardis that you can see your key perform-ance indicators (KPI) at a glance andmake changes accordingly.

The importance of knowing yournumbers and how they compare toyour peers is becoming more and moreimportant as healthcare is beingasked to be more efficient and ensuresustainability. How can it cost $5more per patient day for two similaror like sites? That is where the dis-cussion can begin. Nutrition and Food

Services is fortunate that, as a pro-fessional group, those tips, tricks andbest practices are willingly shared be-tween colleagues – the power of hav-ing wisdom at our fingertips is NFS’slargest resource. Picking up the phoneor emailing a colleague to talk aboutcosts and overall satisfaction shouldbe a habit and become the greatesttool in the toolbox.

The most important take awayfrom benchmarking is that a site’scosts are just one of the measuresneeded to be compared to understandperformance. Patient and residentsatisfaction or quality and cost willalways be two measures that need tobe balanced. How much more are wewilling to pay for a service that maynot have any more perceived value?This question will continue to befront and centre moving forward inNFS and in healthcare. ����

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Karl Maier, MBA, is currentlythe Director of Business Per-formance for Nutrition Food,Linen and EnvironmentalServices for Alberta HealthServices. Benchmarking isone of the areas of Karl’sportfolio. He assists 106sites within Alberta to understand their numbers.

CONTINUING EDUCATION COMPETENCY

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When you first engage inany profession, there is atremendous amount tolearn about every aspectof your role. It can seem

daunting to think that you wouldever master it all. And, the truth is,despite your best efforts, it’s unlikely

that you ever will. You see, knowledgeis a moving target. As your tenuregrows there will always be more tolearn along the way.

The good news, though, is that thereis a huge payoff when you remain alertfor new learning and insights as you goabout your everyday activities. As you

search them out and welcome them,you continue to grow in depth ofknowledge and effectiveness. What’smore, you become a strong living modelfor others – demonstrating what ittakes to maintain your professionalismand to engage in ongoing developmentbeyond the classroom.

CONTINUING EDUCATION ARTICLE

Live and LearnLive and LearnC U L T I V A T I N G T H E A R T O F I N S I G H T

By Patricia Katz, MCE, CHRP, HoF

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Another reason to pay attention isbecause circumstances around us are al-ways in flux. Changes are not always inyour face and impossible to ignore. Theyalso sneak up on us as we’re coastingalong in “same ol’ same ol’” mode.

What was once new and unique be-comes old hat or old school. Technol-ogy evolves, and the expectations forhow we organize and manage our workchange, too. Products and servicesgrow out of date and out of fashion.Fresh research redefines quality prac-tice. Workplace priorities are altered,and teams are called on to shift direc-tion, too. A new generation calls for afresh approach to leadership or preferscommunicating in new ways.

Our ability to stay relevant, cre-ative, and innovative, to adapt and ad-just, to jump the rut, rests in theknack of approaching life with Begin-ner’s Mind – that moment to momentability to learn as life unfolds.

This article describes the nature ofbeginner’s mind, why it matters, andthree practices that will help you putit to work in your life and your or-ganization.

WHAT IS BEGINNER’S MIND?Spend time around an infant or a tod-dler and you’ll witness firsthand themarvel of “live and learn” in action.Children are fearless and relentless intheir attempts to master new skills andmake their way in a new-to-them world.

Think back to early challenges inyour career: your first attempts tomaster a skill like driving a car or rid-ing a bike, or your introduction to par-enthood. You may recall how it felt tohold rank amateur status. Everythingwas fresh and challenging. Everythingcalled for a concentrated effort. And,everything consumed your undividedattention.

The thing that is unique about theearly stages of learning a skill, art or

profession, is that we have no choicebut to approach it with Beginner’sMind.

We bring an attitude of openness,eagerness, optimism, creativity, zeal,and a lack of preconceived notionsabout the subject at hand. It is in thestate of Beginner’s Mind that we aremost open to new learning and freshinsights.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?As we grow in skill and experience inour professional and personal lives,we become more masterful. Manythings become familiar. It’s easy tofall into a “Been There...DoneThat…Seen It All” mindset. Holdingon to Beginner’s Mind becomes a chal-lenge and fresh insights are few andfar between.

That’s a problem, because fresh in-sights spark creativity and innovation,keep us engaged in growing our skillsand deepen our understanding. And,fresh insights fuel new possibilitiesthat lead to changes in our behaviourand new habits for success.

Environments that value learning,make time for it and place a priorityon it, are places where people keeplearning. We’re intrinsically moti-vated to do this. Motivational expert,Daniel Pink, describes Mastery – theability to learn and grow in skill andunderstanding – as one of three coremotivators. It’s right up there withPurpose and Autonomy. And masterydoesn’t just happen in a classroom.It unfolds in the laboratory of every-day life.

Learning engages and motivatesemployees, and the resulting transfor-mation helps organizations stay com-petitive and relevant.

CULTIVATING BEGINNER’S MINDReclaiming ‘Beginner’s Mind’ rests inthree practices: granting permission to

pause for reflection, exercising yourpowers of observation, and developingyour skills in questioning. In short:Step Back, Tune In, Dig Down.

STEP BACKGrant yourself and others permission topause for reflection. Very little learn-ing takes place without a commitmentto reflection. Time out to think can betough to cultivate in a world thatprizes relentless busy-ness, but pausingto think is where it all begins.

It’s only when we make room to re-flect on what is happening that true,deep learning takes place and newhabits take hold.

Learning organizations are fueledby individual action. Employee will-ingness to make time for learning isinfluenced by the example set by or-ganizational leaders.

If you are a leader in your organi-zation, what do you and other lead-ers do to encourage time out? Do youmodel that behaviour yourselves? Isan investment in reflection consid-ered to be a giant waste of time or im-portant, legitimate and necessary? Doyou speak of reflection with respector disdain? Are stories shared that re-inforce the value of stepping awayfrom the action to consider the op-tions and imagine the possibilities?Are fresh insights and new ideas hon-ored and celebrated?

All these things influence whetheror not people throughout an organi-zation feel secure in cultivating thepractice of making time to think.

Good times to step back are at theend of an activity or an event, or at abreak in the process, where there is anatural punctuation point for review.

TUNE INOnce permission to reflect is in place,tapping into insight depends on notic-ing what’s going on around you and

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within you. Exercise your powers of ob-servation. Use every sense that makessense, starting with looking and listen-ing. Don’t ignore your “spidey sense,”that often elusive intuitive messengerthat chatters away in the back of yourmind or the pit of your stomach.

Pay attention to more than the“facts” of a situation. Take the time tonotice your reactions and the re-sponses of others as well. Throughoutour daily activities, as we work onprojects and interact with others, emo-tional responses are an important in-dicator that signal an opportunity totune in and explore what’s going on.• Excited or delighted? There’s proba-bly something awesome at the root ofthe experience that you might want torepeat and experience again.• Frustrated or stressed? That’s alikely indicator that you had expecta-tions of outcomes that were thwartedby how things unfolded.• Angry or disgusted? Whatever oc-curred likely offended one or more ofthe values you hold to be important.• Worried or fearful? Chances aregood you are facing the potential loss(real or imagined) of something thatmeans a great deal to you.• Envious or jealous? Could be an in-dicator of something you aspire to asa goal for yourself, or a sign that youfeel you aren’t being treated fairly.• Stuck and discouraged? The famil-iarity might suggest a life lesson youhaven’t yet mastered that is beingpresented for you to learn yet again.

DIG DOWNHaving paused to reflect, and tuned into an opportunity to learn, developthe skill of asking great exploratoryquestions.

How do you know if you’re workingwith great questions? The most ef-fective questions create clarity, ex-plore connections between events

and outcomes, help people thinkmore critically, inspire reflection andbreakthrough thinking, challenge as-sumptions, and poke holes in the sta-tus quo. They suggest new directionsand next steps. Try experimentingwith a few of these forms of ques-tioning.

AFTER-ACTION REVIEWSit down after an event is over, with apaper and pen, and ask yourself thesethree questions.• What went well?• Where did things go wrong?• What did you learn for next time?

“WHAT” TO THE POWER OF TWOTune into the experience that is un-folding or event that just took placeand ask yourself so what and what now.• So What? What just happened? Whydid things occur that way? What doesit mean? How did you feel?• What Now? What is the lesson to belearned? What rule of thumb or pointof wisdom does it suggest for the fu-ture? How and where will you put thisinsight to work?

LOOKING INWARDThis set of reflective questions is in-spired by Stephen Brookfield, an ex-pert in critical thinking. Ask them asyou look back on a specific incident orexperience. See where they take youand what you learn.• When was I most engaged?• When was I most distanced?• When/by what was I most affirmed?• By what was I most puzzled or

surprised?

• What was the single most importantthing I learned today?

• What would have made thisexperience that much better?

• How will I capitalize on theseinsights in the future?

MINDFUL MOMENT OF AWARENESSHere’s an approach to use in the heatof a moment. When you find yourselfcaught up in the emotion of an event,pause, step back and work throughthis series:• What is happening right now?• What do I want right now?• What am I doing right now to

prevent myself from gettingwhat I want?

• How might I make another choice and move on?Don’t let life’s lessons pass you by.

Be as active in learning as in living.With mindfulness and intention, buildfresh approaches and habits based onwhat you learn along the way. ����

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Patricia Katz, MCE CHRPHoF, is a Canadian speakerand author who works withorganizational leaders toease the load and fuel thespirit. This best-selling au-thor shares her wisdomweekly with thousands ofreaders of her e-zine, Pause.• www.pauseworks.com

CONTINUING EDUCATION COMPETENCY

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You Must Be Good to be LuckyHaving a shamrock in your logo is lucky, but Flanagan Foodservice thrives on more than luck

Drive the highways of Ontario, usingKitchener, Sudbury and Owen Soundas your bases, and your foodservice

delivery routes might end up looking a littlelike the outline of a shamrock. How fittingthat your company is Flanagan Foodservice?

The shamrock in Flanagan’s logo speaks to founder Joe Flana-gan’s Irish roots, but it really does represent the routes Flana-gan vehicles follow on their deliveries throughout theprovince. Flanagan is the largest, Canadian-owned, inde-pendent foodservice distributor in the country. That makesthe company sound like a giant, but the truth is: Flanagan ismore like David than Goliath.

Marilyn Hofstetter is the senior account manager, health-care, and has been with Flanagan for 29 years. She says JoeFlanagan started in 1977 with a food wholesale business inhis home town of Kitchener.

“Joe noticed customers coming in and placing large or-ders,” says Hofstetter. “So, he started a distribution systemin the Kitchener area, taking the product to the customer.”

Truly a family company, Joe’s four sons have all been in-volved in running the business. Dan Flanagan is the currentpresident and his brothers are shareholders. A fleet of 70trucks serves the Ontario market within the boundaries de-scribed by the shamrock logo.

“We’re large enough to play with the big boys,” says Hof-stetter. “But, we’re small enough to provide the kind of per-sonal service that our customers like.”

A number of Flanagan’s employees are also shareholders;having a stake in the company’s success is a strong motiva-tor to avoid being swallowed by the industry giants. Hofstet-ter says many of the country’s small, family-ownedfoodservice companies have been bought out. If Flanagan isDavid versus Goliath, then this David has matured enough tohold his own against any future Goliaths.

“In all our years, we’ve always gone forward,” she says.“We’ve never had a year when we’ve gone backwards in sales.”

Hofstetter also says that there is a personal touch beingdelivered all across the company that is evident from the mo-ment one walks in the front door. This brand of customerservice is not only good for repeat business it places the com-

pany in a preferred position in the community as an ethicaland responsible organization – a business with a heart.

“We are always involved in what our customers are doingin the community with donations or with helping them runfundraising events,” says Hofstetter. “We are part of the WeCare network that raises funds for the Easter Seals campaignto help physically disabled children get to summer camp. Wehave employees who have children with special needs, so weunderstand how important that is.”

The green in the company’s logo isn’t just a nod to Ireland.It also symbolizes Flanagan’s commitment to the environ-ment. From using solar energy to recycling rain water, thecompany is committed to reducing its carbon footprint.

“We’re the first in Canada to use an ammonia coolant inour freezers,” says Hofstetter. “We also retrieve heat gener-ated by our equipment through a system of exchangers to di-rect it back to our heating system, we have a full recyclingprogram in place and we work with other companies to re-duce as much packaging as possible.”

For a more far-reaching environmental impact, there’sOcean Wise. Developed by the Vancouver Aquarium, OceanWise is a conservation program that raises awareness of sus-tainable seafood products, and Flanagan is an active partner.

The future involves continued growth. Hofstetter says thecompany is always looking for new partnerships to improvethe options available to the customer with the ultimate goalthat Flanagan be the best foodservice company in Ontario.The pace of growth has been steady, adapting to changingdemands, particularly the gap between the older meat-and-potatoes generation currently residing in retirement andlong-term care homes, and the younger, more food-savvy cus-tomers who frequent high-end eateries.

If the example set by Joe Flanagan in 1977 is still aliveand well at Flanagan Foodservice, the future growth of thecompany will be dictated by the personal touch and by stick-ing to its motto: “The difference you deserve.” ����

Stan Michalak is the creative director of Cutting Edge Communications, pub-lisher of Food Service & Nutrition magazine.• [email protected]

CSNM CORPORATE MEMBER PROFILE

By Stan Michalak

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Conflict between people is a normaland inevitable part of life. Wheneverthere is an interaction, differences

and disagreements can occur. Although we all have a life-long experi-

ences, it is surprising how many people atwork feel uneasy or ill-equipped to deal with conflict. Ratherthan understanding that it is a natural part of a relationshipdynamic, conflict often creates stress and is perceived as in-evitably leading to a confrontation that is best to avoid.

For many people conflict conjures up unpleasant memo-ries and feelings. Past negative experiences set in motion afight or flight response or win-lose posturing, intensifyingnegative feelings and escalating a dispute. Unresolved con-flicts led to rising emotions, more hurt feelings, drawn bat-tle lines and polarized positions. The longer the conflictdragged on, the more difficult it was to talk things out.

A conflict does not have to destroy a relationship. Nor doesit have to end with a “winner and loser.” The process used toresolve the conflict can create a feeling that everyone wins.It can be an enriching exercise that will strengthen relation-ships and improve teamwork, performance and contribute toa healthy, vibrant work culture.

REFRAMING CONFLICT Conflict is a normal, healthy byproduct of a human interac-tion, the result of converging, competing interests, goals orvalues. With each of us having different needs, opinions andperspectives, we can easily have multiple viewpoints about anissue and different ideas on what to do about it.

Our different viewpoints are not problematic. Rather, it iswhether or not we choose to find a solution and how wechoose to do this. Aside from the effect on the relationship,conflicts and their resolution also affect positively or nega-tively performance, teamwork, service delivery, absenteeismand health and safety. Regardless of whether the conflict in-volves two people or a team, unresolved or badly handledconflict resolution can lead to an escalation and to bullying,harassment, behaviour problems, team splitting and an un-healthy or toxic work environment. Conversely, a solutionthat comes from respectful dialogue and a fair, inclusive and

transparent resolution process can be a catalyst for a harass-ment-free, collaborative and respective workplace – an envi-ronment in which people want to work.

Through words and action, the manager sends a message tothe team about how conflicts are to be handled. While we allhave our own styles for dealing with conflict, it is importantto understand the effect your style has on the way problemsget resolved and on your relationships.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION STYLES Each of us has a primary style for resolving conflict. The widely-used Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument describes thestyles as competing, accommodating, avoiding, compromisingor collaborative. Each style reflects a different way of resolvingconflict, involves a degree of assertiveness and cooperation andhas consequences for the parties involved.

In the competing style, the individual firmly pursues his orher own views and forces a solution and action, despite theresistance of or at the expense of others. At times this stylemay be appropriate, such as during a crisis when someonemust take charge and quickly decide on a course of action.However, people do not like being forced to do something inwhich they have no stake. Forcing solutions on people canbuild resentment. When done routinely, aggressively or withhostility, this can damage your relationship with the indi-vidual or your team, dramatically lower your credibility as acompetent and trusted manager and lead to resistance toyour plans.

People who are uncomfortable with conflict tend to ignoreor evade it because they do not want to deal with it. Some-times the issue is trivial and not worth the effort or it maybe better not to engage with the other parties when emo-tions are high. However, avoiding conflict can create frustra-tion and disappointment. Employees want and expectconflicts to be resolved. A manager who routinely avoids con-flict is seen as weak or passive or as someone who does notcare enough to deal with issues. Anger and frustration buildsdue to the inaction and can set the stage for increased con-flict, harassment and incivility.

Accommodating puts other people’s concerns first ratherthan dealing with one’s own. This style can be useful as a give

Take Another Look at ConflictUsing conflict to create positive opportunities for your team

By Frema Engel

MANAGEMENT NOTEBOOK

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17C A N A D I A N S O C I E T Y O F N U T R I T I O N M A N A G E M E N T N E W S – S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

MANAGEMENT NOTEBOOK

and take – if you give in on some issues, you can hold firm onthose you consider more important. When the style is to alwaysaccommodate, the manager runs the risk of being abused. It istherefore important to maintain a balance between accommo-dating others and getting your own needs met.

Compromising looks for an expedient and mutually ac-ceptable solution that will at least partially satisfy the par-ties involved. It can be a practical way to lower tension andget to a solution when time is a factor or as a temporarymeasure while seeking a long-term one. Since compromisecan result in a situation where both parties are not fully sat-isfied with the outcome, it may gradually lead to renewedtension. This style can be a good way to resolve problems,but it may also require ongoing monitoring and control toensure that all the parties are respecting the agreement.

Collaborating is the superstar style of conflict resolution.It may not be a practical approach to use when time is anissue or a quick solution must be found. It is, however, idealwhen conflicts are complex, feelings are deeply hurt, rela-tionships have been severely damaged and the team cannotwork together. This approach requires time and work. Every-one must agree to engage in the process. People will need tofeel safe enough to express themselves and find ways to buildconsensus and a win-win solution that will most clearly sat-isfy everyone’s concerns. The process of finding and estab-lishing a win-win consensus-building approach strengthensrelationships, develops deeper trust and leads to more cohe-siveness and creativity in the team. Consensus-building leadsto a shared experience, stronger relationships and greaterteam cohesion.

No one style fits all conflict situations. However, the man-ager charged with the responsibility and task of resolvingconflicts within the team should be aware of the pros andcons of using each style and its effect on relationships, prob-lem-solving, performance, the group’s cohesiveness and howthe team views its manager.

Conflicts and their resolution should be seen as opportu-nities for change and improvement. Handled wisely, theprocess of resolving the conflict can become an enriching ex-perience in personal and team development. It canstrengthen team cohesiveness and help people to understandthat they have a shared interest in finding solutions to trou-blesome issues that previously divided them.

FIVE STRATEGIES TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS IN YOUR TEAMRegularly set aside time to air issues of concern. Give every-one the opportunity to share their views and feelings and ex-press how the issues affect their work. Redefine the issue sothat it is depersonalized and clearly understood. Then, brain-storm solutions and find the one that everyone can agreewith and will follow.

Involve the team in defining and establishing a fair, in-clusive, transparent decision-making process that spells outhow decisions will be taken by the group and the steps in-volved.

Develop values that describe how the group will work to-gether and a code of conduct that defines unacceptable be-haviour and details how it will be dealt with.

State your expectations that the team use the processesagreed upon and monitor it to ensure success. Be the rolemodel for everyone to follow.

Hone up on your own problem-solving and win-win con-flict resolution skills and use them to coach and lead yourteam in good conflict resolution practices.

SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE Workplace conflicts are more frequent and far more complexthan ever. Not only do managers have the responsibility to re-solve conflicts, their performance will be judged on their abil-ity to do this and to maintain a psychologically safe andhealthy work culture.

So, sharpen your conflict resolution skills and embark ona journey with your team. Empower your team to tackle theproblems that divide them and to find ways to settle theirdisputes that make everyone feel part of the solution. Bydoing so, you will create an engaged, inspired, cohesive andhigh-performance team. ����

Frema Engel is a social worker, anti-bullying activist, conflict resolution facili-tator and builder of healthy relationships and workplaces. She has a passion forbringing out our best behaviour so that we can enjoy healthy relationships andgreat environments.• www.fremaengel.com

Conflict is a normal, healthy byproduct of a human interaction,the result of converging, competing interests, goals or values

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For more than 20years, CSNM hashad an accredi-

tation process inplace for educationalinstitutions which

provide training and education in nu-trition management in Canada. Nutri-tion managers working in theCanadian healthcare system will bevery familiar with accreditation as itrelates to healthcare facilities and theprocess that is followed by Accredita-tion Canada.

Educational accreditation is slightlydifferent in that it focuses on theneeds for the industry and ensuringsuccess for graduates in that industry.It is a type of quality assurance processunder which the services and opera-tions of an educational institution’sprograms are evaluated by an externalbody to determine if applicable stan-dards are met. If the standards aremet, accredited status is granted.

Accreditation in higher education isdefined as a collegial process based onself and peer assessment for public ac-countability and improvement of aca-demic quality. Peers assess the qualityof an institution or academic programand assist the faculty and staff in im-provement.

An accreditation of an academicprogram typically involves two majoractivities: The faculty conduct a self-study using the accrediting organiza-tion’s set of expectations (standards,competencies) as their guide; and, ateam of peers, selected by the accred-iting organization, reviews the evi-

dence, visits the campus to interviewthe faculty and staff and writes a re-port of its assessment including rec-ommendations to the program forimprovement. Guided by a set of stan-dards and competencies, the accredi-tation review team reviews theevidence and makes a recommenda-tion of an accreditation award of ei-ther three or five years or declines tomake a recommendation. The awarddecision is communicated to the insti-tution.

The CSNM Accreditation standardsand competencies are based on theknowledge and skills that an entrylevel nutrition manager would requireto have success in the workplace. Thecompetencies are reviewed every fiveyears to ensure that what is requiredcontinues to be relevant and that anychanges in the industry are reflectedin the educational requirements.

The review process typically in-cludes review of all feedback that hasbeen received in regards to educa-tional needs and/or gaps in educa-tion; discussion with educationalinstitutions regarding challenges orsuggestions they may have and ac-creditation reviewer input in regardsto the accreditation documents them-selves.

CSNM Accreditation is built aroundeight core competencies including pro-fessionalism; quality management; nu-trition and healthy living; clinicalnutrition; food service systems man-agement; human resources manage-ment; financial/business management;and, marketing and promotion. These

eight are then broken down into knowl-edge and performance indicators eachwith specific components. There areover two hundred and fifty indicatorsthat have to be addressed in an educa-tional institution’s curriculum to ensurecompliance. The core competencies alsoform the basis for the continuing edu-cation that is provided and/or approvedfor graduate nutrition managers boththrough the CSNM quarterly magazineor through educational sessions andconferences.

The CSNM Accreditation reviews areconducted by nutrition managers whovolunteer their time to perform a re-view of the self-study documents fromthe program. Following the paper re-view, two of the three reviewers on theteam visit the educational institutionto conduct the site visit during whichthe reviewers meet with faculty, stu-dents, graduates, advisory committeemembers and employers to validatethe information that was provided inthe self-study documents. Every twoyears CSNM will put out a call to mem-bers who wish to volunteer with theaccreditation portfolio.

CSNM Accreditation is a dynamicprocess that ensures the educationprovided to students in nutrition man-agement programs across Canada isrelevant and that the content is basedon established competencies. Employ-ers who hire nutrition managers canbe confident that their education hasmet an established and consistent ap-plied standard regardless of wherethey were trained in the country.

Once granted accreditation, colleges

Why AccreditationHow accreditation is paving the way for nutrition managers of the future

By Heather Truber, NM

ASK AN EXPERT

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are then permitted to advertise thattheir program is accredited by CSNMand display the CSNM logo in relevantadvertising material. CSNM also listsall accredited colleges on its website.Graduates of accredited programs areautomatically eligible for membershipin CSNM and, if they apply within twoyears of graduation, are not requiredto write the entrance exam. Studentsin the accredited programs are also el-igible to become students members ofCSNM.

In order to ensure that the educa-tional institution continues to main-tain the level of education andtraining demonstrated during the re-view the institution is annually re-quired to submit an annual report toCSNM outlining current numbers ofenrollment; any significant changes tothe program and identify how the pro-gram has actioned any recommenda-tions from the last accreditationreview.

There are currently ten educationalinstitutions within Canada with ac-credited nutrition and food service

management programs. CSNM alsosupports the programs by offering thedirectors of the programs the oppor-tunity once a year to get together todiscuss relevant issues; learn aboutCSNM initiatives and discuss any chal-lenges with the accreditation program.

The comprehensive CSNM accredita-tion review of educational programsensures that the content of programs,teaching resources and outputs are ofconsistently high quality to meet ex-pectations and to support future pro-fessionals in their area of expertise.Accreditation provides the strongfoundation upon which the professionof nutrition management in Canada isbased! ����

Heather Truber is the director, Provincial Safetyand Supply Management with Alberta HealthServices. She is responsible for the operation andprovincial direction for food safety; quality im-provement; business continuity; contracting: pur-chasing practice; inventory management andWorkplace Health and Safety for Food, Nutrition,Linen and Environmental Services within AlbertaHealth Services.• [email protected]

19C A N A D I A N S O C I E T Y O F N U T R I T I O N M A N A G E M E N T N E W S – S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

ASK AN EXPERT

Employers who hire nutrition managers can be confident that their educationhas met an established and consistent applied standard

CSNM-ACCREDITED

FOODSERVICE & NUTRITIONPROGRAMS

Algonquin College

Bow Valley College

Centennial College ofApplied Arts & Technology

Fanshawe College

George Brown College ofApplied Arts & Technology

HealthCareCAN

Humber Institute of Technologyand Advanced Learning

Langara College

Saskatchewan Institute ofApplied Science and

Technology

Université de Guelph,Campus d’Alfred

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20 C A N A D I A N S O C I E T Y O F N U T R I T I O N M A N A G E M E N T N E W S – S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

PSNMPSNM HELD ITS FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW TERM IN JUNE2015 in Surrey, B.C. at Westminster House, a private, non-profit,120-bed, multi-level care facility. Sixteen members and guests ofPSNM were treated to a lunch sponsored by Burnbrae Farms pre-pared by guest speaker Zsolt Szeredi, Territory Manager.

PSNM is preparing to celebrate its 40th Anniversary, September28 and 29 at the Sandman Inn and Suites in Abbotsford, B.C. The2015/2016 CSNM board will be joining us for this celebration. Theevent will start on Monday with a Meet and Greet. Keynote speakerLinda Edgecombe will start Tuesday off with To Shift or Get Off thePot, followed by Alicia Mazari-Andersen who will speak about GMO.After lunch, we plan a drive to Singletree Winery to taste somelocal wines followed by a visit to Lepp Farm Market to hear aboutlocal farming. The final is a Ruby Gala, come in your finest ruby-coloured attire. For more information and to register online, go tocsnm.ca/client/upcomingEvents.html

ASNMTHIS YEAR, THE ASNM BOARD PUT FORWARD DONNAKubista’s name for the position of Alberta Representativeto CSNM. Donna was chosen by acclamation by the CSNMmembership and will be in this position for one term.

The ASNM annual general meeting was held on May 1,2015, at the annual Food Matters conference in Edmon-ton. It was decided at the AGM that a sub-committee beformed to plan an educational event in October 2015; thedate has yet to be determined. Our new board is ener-gized and excited about the educational opportunitiesthat lay ahead.

ASNM members have been renewing their membershipthrough the CSNM website and, to date, this process hasbeen successful. We are continuing to build our ASNMmembership and we are looking forward to the upcomingyear and our fall educational event.

SEPTEMBER 172015 Sysco Regina FallFood ExpoRegina, SKwww.sysco.ca/regina

SEPTEMBER 17CHA Webinar:Healthy Food Strategies1 – 2 pm ESTwww.healthcarecan.ca/learning/courses/

OCTOBER 7Gordon Food Service ShowEdmonton, AB10 am – 4 pmwww.gfs.ca

OCTOBER 26 – 27Canadian Food Summit 2015Conference Board Centre forFood in CanadaToronto, ONwww.conferenceboard.ca/conf

TIM

ELIN

E

OSNMOSNM IS EXCITED TO BE HOSTING ITS ANNUAL CONFERENCE ANDAGM at the Ajax Convention Centre, September 23 to 25. Our theme isBack to the Future – Everything Old is New Again. Topics include: Deal-ing with difficult people, how to live to 100 and still remember yourname, harnessing social media, making small changes to generate bigsavings, dining with dementia and the event gala with membershiprecognitions awarded.

The blended membership with CSNM is now in place. We have had266 members renew through CSNM and 15 expired members reinstatetheir membership. We have even recruited 30 new members. A bigthank you to CSNM for supporting this initiative! However, we stillneed a stronger voice to lobby on behalf of OSNM.

OSNM has become an affiliate member with OHEA (Ontario Home Eco-nomics Association) and OLTCA (Ontario Long Term Care Association).

OSNM is offering some choice business programs for members ie. Dis-counts with Telus phone plans. Check our website for further discounts.

OSNM board has completed the strategic plan for the next five yearsand will start to roll out to each portfolio including memberships, com-munications, advocacy, education and marketing.

SSNMSSNM HELD ITS ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND AGMat the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club on April 25,2015. This year’s theme was Leading with Confidencein Changing Times. The keynote speaker, Penney Mur-phy, gave a three-hour workshop on Confident Lead-ership Building that included energetic, fun andinteractive activities to build both self-confidence andleadership. The closing speaker, Alleson Mason, spokeabout Cultural Diversity in the Workplace.

This year, there were 19 graduating students from theFood & Nutrition Management program at SaskatchewanPolytechnic. Karen Kwan, CSNM Saskatchewan Rep., andGwen Koob-Roach, Saskatchewan Polytechnic Liaison,were invited to the annual BBQ and Practicum Report-Out hosted by the Polytechnic’s Acting Program Head,Joanne Smart, in May. Each student presented a reporton where they went for their field placement, projectsthey did and their future plans. Congratulations to thegraduating class of 2015!

INDUSTRY & CSNM NEWS

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21C A N A D I A N S O C I E T Y O F N U T R I T I O N M A N A G E M E N T N E W S – S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

À LA CARTE

DURE FOODSDure Foods is a Canadian family company, blending fine powders since 1978. Headquartered in Brant-ford, Ontario, we also have a production facility in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to our house brand, wespecialize in custom formulation and co-packing for private label. Our Lifestyle products include, but arenot limited to: proteins, electrolytes, meal supplements, BCAAs, and various functional infusions. DureFoods is BRC Certified, NHP Site-Licensed and Gluten Free. Visit www.durefoods.com.

ALIMENTS ED FOODSAliments ED Foods is a specialist in manufacturing soup bases, soup mixes, seasonings and gravy mixesfor the foodservice and processor market under the LUDA signature since 1951. Canada's foremost pri-vate label expert and top producer of gluten-free, vegetarian, sodium-reduced and other specialty prod-ucts, it has a gold-rated HACCP facility and is GFSI-recognized and SQF 2000-certified. Visit www.ed.ca.

BOW VALLEY COLLEGEAre you interested in becoming a supervisor in the food service industry? Take your career to newheights with Bow Valley College’s CSNM-accredited Nutrition Manager Certificate. This accessibleprogram is in an online, self-paced format. With the support of excellent instructors, learn basic nutri-tion, menu planning for clients with medical conditions, food service safety legislation and guidelines,and management of food service production, finances and human resources. For more information,visit www.bowvalleycollege.ca/nutrition.

COMPLETE PURCHASING SERVICESComplete Purchasing Services (an Aramark Company) is a leading supply chain solutions provider inCanada with a broad range of products and services for foodservice, facilities and operations, and nurs-ing and clinical. Other benefits of membership include access to operational tools and resources in-cluding web-based applications for procurement, inventory management and menu management, menusupport, theme meal planners, educational materials and workshops and a national client services team.For more information visit www.eCPS.ca.

9 Aliments ED Foods www.ed.ca

OBC Aliments ED Foods www.ed.ca

19 Bow Valley College www.bowvalleycollege.ca/nutrition

11 Complete Purchasing www.ecps.ca

IBC Dure Foods www.durefoods.com

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

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BALANCING EXPECTATIONSCompetency 7.0 Financial/Business Management

1. What does “Best in Class” refer to whendiscussing Benchmarking?A - Dog showsB - 5 StarsC - Honour rollD - Best practice

2. Where can the “three-strike rule” be used?A - Supplements and snacksB - Food suppliesC - Baseball diamondD - Labour

3. What category makes up the majority of thecost per patient day?A - FoodB - SuppliesC - Other suppliesD - Labour

4. 15 minutes is the perfect time for...?A - Cooking chickenB - Intervals for activity schedulesC - Calculating patient days D - Cooking an egg

LIVE AND LEARNCompetency 1.0 Professionalism

1. Stepping Back, Tuning In and Digging Down are the threepractices essential for...?A - Beginner’s MindB - Professional PerspectiveC - Responsible LeadershipD - None of the above

2. An After-Action Review consists of asking which ofthese questions?A - What went well?B - Where did things go wrong?C - What did you learn for next time?D - All of the above.

3. According to motivational expert, Daniel Pink, people areintrinsically motivated by...?A - Appreciation, Challenge and IntegrityB - Excellence, Respect and JusticeC - Purpose, Mastery and AutonomyD - Wealth, Power and Competition

4. When tuning in to learn from an experience, it is recommended that, in addition to the facts of a situation, you also pay attention to your “spidey sense.” This can be defined as...?A - Your knowledge of insectsB - Your intuition or gut reactionC - Your communication networkD - Your psychic powers

CONTINUING EDUCATION QUIZ

YOUR NAME MEMBERSHIP NUMBER PHONE NUMBER DATE

COMPLETE THIS QUIZ ONLINE!GO ONLINE TO WWW.CSNM.CA • CLICK ON MEMBERS ONLY (UPPER RIGHT) • LOGIN - COMPLETE THE QUIZ

OR, CLIP AND SUBMIT THIS PAGE BY MAIL OR FAX TO:CSNM • 1370 DON MILLS ROAD, SUITE 300,

TORONTO, ON M3B 3N7TOLL FREE: 1-866-355-2766 • FAX: (416) 441-0591

Available in French on the CSNM website | Seront maintenant disponible sur le site web de la CSNM/SCGN

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