Sodexo Dietetic Internship
  • Home
  • Program Information
  • Applying to the Program
  • Open Houses and Contact
  • FAQs
  • Mission and Goals
  • DE&I, About us, Careers

Intern Perspective

Jenna Keepers - Region 5

1/16/2023

 
Picture
Hi everyone! My name is Jenna, and I am an intern in region 5 in Baltimore, MD. I am currently in my clinical rotation. I have learned so much in a matter of months. Over the course of my clinical rotations, I have become more comfortable speaking with patients and also people on the interdisciplinary team. I wanted to share in my post about an experience with someone on the interdisciplinary team in the hospital. For a lot of the patients I see, I read the Speech-Language Pathologist’s (SLP) notes. If patients have dysphagia or altered mental status coming into the hospital, they will not be cleared for an oral diet until they pass a swallow evaluation and are assessed for what texture diet they are cleared for. For patients that need a more significant swallow evaluation, they might have a modified barium swallow (MBS) done. I was able to observe an MBS with an SLP during my clinical rotation. During an MBS, you are able to see how a patient is swallowing and if there are any signs of aspiration. The SLP gives the patient a few different trials of liquids and solids which have barium in them so they are observable on an x-ray machine. It was so interesting to observe and helped me to better understand SLP notes to know why a patient is on a particular texture diet based on the findings from that evaluation. One of my takeaways from this experience is how important it is to have connections with the interdisciplinary team – to work together to provide the best care for the patient and to understand the unique role everyone plays on the team.

Three tips for future and current dietetic interns:
  • Have a support network while you are going through this internship
  • Be willing to learn and if you don’t know something…that is ok! Your preceptor understands and is there to teach you
  • When you are writing notes for patients and making nutrition recommendations, be confident in your recommendations and be able to explain “why” you chose them!


Comments are closed.
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Program Information
  • Applying to the Program
  • Open Houses and Contact
  • FAQs
  • Mission and Goals
  • DE&I, About us, Careers