As a dietetic intern we are taking the first step out into the real world of dietetics and away from the classroom. Our workload however, still remains rather consistent; but unlike undergrad, we have the opportunity to apply our new, exciting knowledge into actual everyday practice.
One of our requirements for the internship is to prepare, plan and present on a professional research topic of our choice. When I presented this to my preceptor she was intrigued by the new area of diagnosing malnutrition. The dietitians at Holy Family Hospital had just learned how to conduct a Nutrition-Focused Physical Assessment, a growing new practice of today’s dietitian. Malnutrition can present its self in many different ways such as reduced food intake, unintentional weight loss and physical signs and symptoms of a patient’s appearance. My preceptor was really interested in how to recognize if a patient has a vitamin or mineral deficiency. I was going to get the opportunity to not only learn about physical signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, but to actually get to practice my new skills on new patients that might be at risk.
Patients that are diagnosed early with malnutrition are more likely to have a positive outcome. It can help us identify the big picture of what is happening. Small changes to a person’s general appearance can give clues to hidden deficiencies. Through my research, I found an assessment of vitamin and mineral stores involve observing distinct areas where deficiencies may present themselves: the skin, hair, eyes, nails and mouth. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies may be more present in certain disease states when there is inadequate intake, malabsorption disorders or if the patient has a higher energy demand that increases the loss of important vitamin and minerals.
By observing changes of these focus areas we can decipher which vitamin or mineral that may be missing. Subtle changes to the color of the skin or texture of the nails can indicate a specific deficiency. For example, signs of iron deficiency may be a lack of color in the skin and eyelids or a “scooping” of the nail plate. Other deficiencies may contribute to changes in the tongue or lesions on the skin. When visiting my patients I can now use these skills to identify clues of possible deficiencies that manifest themselves through a patient’s appearance. I will be presenting my research on vitamin and mineral deficiencies to our dietetic staff at Holy Family Hospital in the beginning of August.
Needless to say, this is an exciting time to be a dietitian. We now have the opportunity to act as though we are detectives. We get to piece together clues to figure out the nutritional status of our patients. This gives dietitians an advantage to improving and expanding their skill set to make them a greater asset to the medical team. Now I can have a more hands on role in the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
One of our requirements for the internship is to prepare, plan and present on a professional research topic of our choice. When I presented this to my preceptor she was intrigued by the new area of diagnosing malnutrition. The dietitians at Holy Family Hospital had just learned how to conduct a Nutrition-Focused Physical Assessment, a growing new practice of today’s dietitian. Malnutrition can present its self in many different ways such as reduced food intake, unintentional weight loss and physical signs and symptoms of a patient’s appearance. My preceptor was really interested in how to recognize if a patient has a vitamin or mineral deficiency. I was going to get the opportunity to not only learn about physical signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, but to actually get to practice my new skills on new patients that might be at risk.
Patients that are diagnosed early with malnutrition are more likely to have a positive outcome. It can help us identify the big picture of what is happening. Small changes to a person’s general appearance can give clues to hidden deficiencies. Through my research, I found an assessment of vitamin and mineral stores involve observing distinct areas where deficiencies may present themselves: the skin, hair, eyes, nails and mouth. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies may be more present in certain disease states when there is inadequate intake, malabsorption disorders or if the patient has a higher energy demand that increases the loss of important vitamin and minerals.
By observing changes of these focus areas we can decipher which vitamin or mineral that may be missing. Subtle changes to the color of the skin or texture of the nails can indicate a specific deficiency. For example, signs of iron deficiency may be a lack of color in the skin and eyelids or a “scooping” of the nail plate. Other deficiencies may contribute to changes in the tongue or lesions on the skin. When visiting my patients I can now use these skills to identify clues of possible deficiencies that manifest themselves through a patient’s appearance. I will be presenting my research on vitamin and mineral deficiencies to our dietetic staff at Holy Family Hospital in the beginning of August.
Needless to say, this is an exciting time to be a dietitian. We now have the opportunity to act as though we are detectives. We get to piece together clues to figure out the nutritional status of our patients. This gives dietitians an advantage to improving and expanding their skill set to make them a greater asset to the medical team. Now I can have a more hands on role in the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
