Hello! My name is Kim and I’m currently a dietetic distance intern in South Florida. I started off with my clinical rotation at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale and I was so intimidated at first! Clinical was the one rotation I was really nervous about going into,and I can’t believe how much I ended up really enjoying it. From being able to learn more about different disease states to just talking with patients, I really learned a lot from this rotation, and I enjoyed it so much more than I expected. I went from extremely nervous to just having a great time learning and asking all types of questions to make sure I really understood. I formed new relationships not just with the dietitians I worked with, but also with the food service workers, the diet call center, some nurses, and many other people who are all involved in the process of caring for patients. Open communication between these individuals goes a long way, as some may be able to provide you with additional insight that maybe the patient forgot to mention.
During this rotation, I was able to create a few in-service quizzes for the food service workers and even got to present an in-service myself! The in-service is meant to give those employees who deal with preparing meals for patients a little more information as to why some patients may be on certain diets and why some foods are restricted.
The hands-on experience during my clinical rotation really helped me understand some of the topics that I struggled with in classes, and I couldn’t be any more grateful for this opportunity. If you find yourself anxious about starting clinical, just remember that everyone there is willing to help you as they’ve all been in your shoes before. Don’t be scared to ask all your questions; this is your chance to ask away!
During this rotation, I was able to create a few in-service quizzes for the food service workers and even got to present an in-service myself! The in-service is meant to give those employees who deal with preparing meals for patients a little more information as to why some patients may be on certain diets and why some foods are restricted.
The hands-on experience during my clinical rotation really helped me understand some of the topics that I struggled with in classes, and I couldn’t be any more grateful for this opportunity. If you find yourself anxious about starting clinical, just remember that everyone there is willing to help you as they’ve all been in your shoes before. Don’t be scared to ask all your questions; this is your chance to ask away!
