Hi everyone! My name is Brittany Bingham and I am a region 9 intern. I live very close to the Illinois/Indiana border, so I am interning in Northwest Indiana at Northlake Methodist Hospital in Gary for my clinical rotation. I was nervous at first to begin the internship experience in clinical, but I was quickly made comfortable by all of the employees at Methodist. I also have an amazing support system of directors that go above and beyond to make the internship process goes as smoothly as possible! In my second week of clinical I conducted my patient services rotation at Methodist and began to develop connections with the kitchen staff. I ended my patient services rotation with a well-rounded understanding of the diet office and kitchens’ role in delivering diet and texture appropriate foods to patients. Furthering my connections within the hospital, I got the opportunity to spend time with the pharmacy department and saw how TPN mixtures are made. I gained a much deeper understanding of the interdisciplinary team and how important it is to have great relationships and strong communication between departments.
With COVID-19, I am pushed to use alternative methods of communication to ensure that every patient who needs nutrition education receives it! I am getting excellent practice discussing patients with the interdisciplinary team and conducting phone interviews. With the patients that I am able to see, I get practice with face-to-face communication and the NFPE! I think that now more than ever I am getting a full experience on how to care for patients through both technology and face-to-face interaction. I am gaining confidence every day in my developing skill set!
Aside from clinical, Methodist threw a fall festival for all hospital employees and I helped to distribute meals. Each hospital worker got a meal, a drink, and snacks to show appreciation for their commitment to healthcare during the COVID-19 outbreak. Feeding the people that risk their lives every day to help others was a heart-warming experience that I am glad I had the opportunity to participate in! I look forward to more fun and exciting community outreach on the rest of my internship journey!
Aside from clinical, Methodist threw a fall festival for all hospital employees and I helped to distribute meals. Each hospital worker got a meal, a drink, and snacks to show appreciation for their commitment to healthcare during the COVID-19 outbreak. Feeding the people that risk their lives every day to help others was a heart-warming experience that I am glad I had the opportunity to participate in! I look forward to more fun and exciting community outreach on the rest of my internship journey!
