My name is Aoi Goto and I am a Sodexo dietetic intern in the distance program. I am currently halfway through my clinical rotation at Sharp Chula Vista hospital in San Diego, CA.
This week, we had a health fair at the hospital for the employees and volunteers. Not only do clinical dietitians provide nutritional care to patients, but they also play a role in spreading awareness about the importance of nutrition in the workplace and the community. The clinical nutrition department had their table set up with common food items that have healthier and unhealthier options. We had the healthy choices on one side of the table, and unhealthy ones on the other for comparison. For example, we displayed granola bars and yogurts since they are often advertised as healthy snacks. We also had popular beverages that people may believe are healthy, when they actually contain a lot of sugar. Some employees were surprised to learn that their favorite break-time snacks were maybe not so healthy after all. Many employees, even if they are working in the healthcare field, may not understand and pay attention to nutrition labels like we do.
I have learned from my preceptors that we must never assume that people have an understanding of nutrition, even the most basic concepts. I have encountered patients that have had diabetes for 10+ years, and yet they do not understand what food sources of carbohydrates are. I have also seen patients that have been on dialysis for 5 years and still do not know which fruits and vegetables should be limited. On the other hand, I have also met patients that already knew so much about nutrition because they were recently diagnosed and ready to make changes in their diet. This lesson has taught me to hone my interviewing skills and to better assess patients’ baseline knowledge of nutrition prior to providing diet education.
Another lesson I have learned is the importance of communicating and building rapport with other staff members at the hospital to provide the best patient care. I have learned to always communicate with the nursing staff, doctors, and therapists to ensure that the whole interdisciplinary team work together synergistically. Participating in the health fair was a great opportunity for the dietitians to connect with the other employees and to demonstrate that they are the nutrition experts after all!
This week, we had a health fair at the hospital for the employees and volunteers. Not only do clinical dietitians provide nutritional care to patients, but they also play a role in spreading awareness about the importance of nutrition in the workplace and the community. The clinical nutrition department had their table set up with common food items that have healthier and unhealthier options. We had the healthy choices on one side of the table, and unhealthy ones on the other for comparison. For example, we displayed granola bars and yogurts since they are often advertised as healthy snacks. We also had popular beverages that people may believe are healthy, when they actually contain a lot of sugar. Some employees were surprised to learn that their favorite break-time snacks were maybe not so healthy after all. Many employees, even if they are working in the healthcare field, may not understand and pay attention to nutrition labels like we do.
I have learned from my preceptors that we must never assume that people have an understanding of nutrition, even the most basic concepts. I have encountered patients that have had diabetes for 10+ years, and yet they do not understand what food sources of carbohydrates are. I have also seen patients that have been on dialysis for 5 years and still do not know which fruits and vegetables should be limited. On the other hand, I have also met patients that already knew so much about nutrition because they were recently diagnosed and ready to make changes in their diet. This lesson has taught me to hone my interviewing skills and to better assess patients’ baseline knowledge of nutrition prior to providing diet education.
Another lesson I have learned is the importance of communicating and building rapport with other staff members at the hospital to provide the best patient care. I have learned to always communicate with the nursing staff, doctors, and therapists to ensure that the whole interdisciplinary team work together synergistically. Participating in the health fair was a great opportunity for the dietitians to connect with the other employees and to demonstrate that they are the nutrition experts after all!
