Dietetic Internship

 

Clinical Nutrition Experience

Rose Medical Center

Completed rotations in basic and intermediate clinical nutrition at Rose Medical Center, a 422-bed acute care facility. I completed over 250 hours of supervised clinical practice caring for patients with a range of acuities, including but not limited to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal conditions, liver and pancreatic disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS, renal diseases, and pulmonary diseases. I utilized the Nutrition Care Process to assess the nutritional needs of patients, provided appropriate interventions, education, and documented patient care.

 

Lutheran Medical Center

Completed my advanced clinical nutrition rotation at Lutheran Medical Center, a 543-bed, level 2 trauma center. I completed over 130 hours of supervised clinical practice caring for patients with high acuities, in the intensive care unit (ICU), neuro-critical care unit (NCCU), and progressive care unit (PCU). I worked with patients needing nutrition support such as enteral and parenteral nutrition. I utilized the Nutrition Care Process to assess the nutritional needs of patients, provided appropriate interventions, education, and documented patient care.

 

Long Term Care: Life Care Center of Aurora

Completed my long-term care rotation at Life Care Center of Aurora, a 166-bed, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation facility. I completed over 32 hours of supervised clinical practice caring for patients with high acuities needing short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, or post-operative recovery. I saw patients and documented patient care and gained experience with the minimum data set (MDS) assessment tool. I participated in daily interdisciplinary care meetings.

 

Oncology Concentration

Cancer Centers of Colorado at Platte Valley Medical Center

Completed one week (40 hours) of my oncology concentration rotation at the Cancer Centers of Colorado at Platte Valley Medical Center. I counseled and educated patients with all types of cancer, and documented patient care. While there I organized a community health fair on the topic of Nutrition for Cancer Prevention.

 

UC Health’s Anschutz Cancer Center (NCI-designated)

Completed two weeks (80 hours) of my oncology concentration rotation at UC Health’s Anschutz Cancer Center which is a National Cancer Institute-designated facility. I counseled and educated patients with head and neck cancers, and documented patient care. I was also able to shadow an RDN seeing liver and pancreatic cancer patients. I also completed and presented a case study on one of my patients to the team of RDNs.

 

Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at Sky Ridge Medical Center

Completed two weeks (80 hours) of my oncology concentration rotation at Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at Sky Ridge Medical Center. I met patients when they came in for radiation therapy. I counseled, and educated patients with head and neck cancers, and documented patient care.

 

Community Nutrition Experience

Cardiac Rehab Center at Sky Ridge Medical Center

Completed three weeks (120 hours) of my community rotation at the cardiac rehabilitation center at Sky Ridge Medical Center. I met with patients when they came in for physical exercise therapy. I counseled, and educated patients in one on one sessions, and documented patient care. Additionally, I taught group classes with the presentation topic, “Let’s Become Sodium Savvy.”

 

Kidney & Liver Transplant Center at Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center

Completed one week (40 hours) of my community rotation at the cardiac rehabilitation center at the kidney & liver transplant center at Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center. I completed assessments on patients waiting for a kidney or liver transplant and shared relevant nutrition information with other members of the care team to ensure that patients continued to be healthy and eligible for a transplant procedure. I counseled and educated patients in one on one sessions, and documented patient care.

 

Women, Infants & Children (WIC) at Tri-County Health Department

Spent one day of my community rotation at the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) office at the Tri-County Health Department. I shadowed an RDN working with families, and learned about lactation support, and nutrients of concern for breastfeeding women, babies and children.

 

Active Adults Center, Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation

For my community rotation, I created a nutrition education lesson for active seniors on the topic of “Nutrition & Prevention of Age-Related Decline.” I worked with the program coordinator at the Active Adults Center (part of the Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation Department) to organize this in-person and virtual class.

 

Littleton Public Schools Nutrition Services

As part of my community rotation, I created a nutrition education lesson for first-grade children on dragonfruit. This was a part of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program run by the Nutrition Services team at Littleton Public Schools. Twice per month students get to try a new fruit or vegetable as an afternoon snack. I was able to do a nutrition presentation while the students taste-tested the fruit.

 

Management Experience

Food Service Management

Completed five weeks (over 160 hours) working in food service management at Rose Medical Center. I worked in patient food services, catering, and at Rose’s Cafe which is the hospital’s retail operation. As a part of my Food Service Management rotation, I developed and implemented a marketing project to promote a special event and menu offering at Rose’s Cafe. For this project, I created, marketed, and sold halibut fish tacos at a Taco Tuesday event. The event featured an education table and slide show talking about the health benefits of eating fish. I worked with the executive chef and chose a dish (tacos) that sold well in the cafeteria and had a health-focused spin with fish as a lean protein option.

 

Patient Services

Completed one week working with the Patient Service Manager in patient services at Rose Medical Center. The highlight of this rotation was the in-service I provided to the trayline, kitchen, and diet office staff on the new International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI). I focused specifically on the new texture modifications, standards, and terminology for foods. Additionally, I conducted meal rounding and patient interviews; analyzed existing patient satisfaction data for Rose Medical Center; utilized Sodexo’s Patient Satisfaction Diagnostic Tool, and recommended improvements to patient satisfaction processes.

 

Clinical Nutrition Management

As a part of my Clinical Nutrition Management rotation at Lutheran Medical Center, I was able to participate in planning the facility’s National Nutrition Month event that took place in March 2022. The theme for this year was Celebrate a World of Flavors. Lutheran Medical Center’s food services department developed a partnership with a local bean company in Colorado and offered a menu of Mexican cuisine foods that featured the beans. Additionally, we set up a table in the Cafe with educational materials, international recipes, and interactive activities for customers to learn more about the health benefits of beans. Additionally, I conducted meal rounding and patient interviews; created a patient satisfaction bulletin board to display Press Ganey scores; recommended improvements to patient satisfaction processes, and completed the clinical nutrition section of Sodexo’s Health Care Internal Gold Check Audit.

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