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My clinical rotation has been my first stop through the dietetic internship experience, and quite honestly, I have been learning so much about myself. Like many interns, the clinical rotation seems nerve-racking to me. After years of studying the material, we now must apply everything we have learned to real, live patients! We want to impress our preceptors, help our patients, and showcase our knowledge, even in times when our nerves appeared to have hijacked our critical thinking skills and “best clinical judgment”…
My advice so far is simple; slow down, and listen; we are interns in a supervised practice experience.
At Holy Cross Hospital of Fort Lauderdale, FL, I am supported and encouraged by dietitians of varying expertise. I am with a different RD every week, and trust me every RD has his or her own approach. Take the time to learn how each RD assesses a patient, try it that way for that week, and incorporate the best practices into your own personal style.
Start with all the tools. Whether your preceptor carries a single notecard or a 10-lb binder (currently my excuse of a weight-bearing exercise), take along all the tools you think you need. As you become more familiar with the labs, medications, and disease states, your resources “toolkit” will lighten up. Or not, and that’s okay, because we should be using whatever we need to help our patients.
Sure, some preceptors see up to 15 patients a day, but how many years have they been an RD? For interns, again, slow down! Quality vs quantity. Our day will come when we are capable of effectively helping that many patients! Take your time to understand each patient as a whole person and how you can help them.
Take the time to have lunch with your preceptors and learn from them. Learn about their internship experiences, their first jobs as RDs and their most memorable patient experiences. You’ll learn a lot and develop better relationships with your preceptors.
Having a rough day? SLOW DOWN. Figure out what it is that is getting to you. YOU ARE HUMAN! And although we interns think we can do it all, it’s okay if we don’t. Be true to yourself during your program. Push yourself, but know yourself. Excuse yourself for a 5-10 minute break to regroup. Or call a fellow intern on your drive home to vent about your day; they definitely can empathize I promise!
The unofficial motto of the Sodexo Dietetic Internships is ‘Do Something Every Eay.” So, slow down, and trust the process. Prioritize, stay organized, and chip at away at your long list of assignments to feel more centered day-to-day during your internship.
My advice so far is simple; slow down, and listen; we are interns in a supervised practice experience.
At Holy Cross Hospital of Fort Lauderdale, FL, I am supported and encouraged by dietitians of varying expertise. I am with a different RD every week, and trust me every RD has his or her own approach. Take the time to learn how each RD assesses a patient, try it that way for that week, and incorporate the best practices into your own personal style.
Start with all the tools. Whether your preceptor carries a single notecard or a 10-lb binder (currently my excuse of a weight-bearing exercise), take along all the tools you think you need. As you become more familiar with the labs, medications, and disease states, your resources “toolkit” will lighten up. Or not, and that’s okay, because we should be using whatever we need to help our patients.
Sure, some preceptors see up to 15 patients a day, but how many years have they been an RD? For interns, again, slow down! Quality vs quantity. Our day will come when we are capable of effectively helping that many patients! Take your time to understand each patient as a whole person and how you can help them.
Take the time to have lunch with your preceptors and learn from them. Learn about their internship experiences, their first jobs as RDs and their most memorable patient experiences. You’ll learn a lot and develop better relationships with your preceptors.
Having a rough day? SLOW DOWN. Figure out what it is that is getting to you. YOU ARE HUMAN! And although we interns think we can do it all, it’s okay if we don’t. Be true to yourself during your program. Push yourself, but know yourself. Excuse yourself for a 5-10 minute break to regroup. Or call a fellow intern on your drive home to vent about your day; they definitely can empathize I promise!
The unofficial motto of the Sodexo Dietetic Internships is ‘Do Something Every Eay.” So, slow down, and trust the process. Prioritize, stay organized, and chip at away at your long list of assignments to feel more centered day-to-day during your internship.
