Hello! My name is Samantha McNutt. I am a Sodexo Dietetic Intern through the Philadelphia campus with a concentration in Medical Nutrition Therapy. While completing my intermediate clinical rotation, I realized my passion working as part of the multidisciplinary team in the management of critically ill patients. Working with this population, I have truly felt challenged and have learned to critically think outside of the box. Completing nutritional assessments, exploring appropriate routes of nutrition support and access, and correcting fluid and electrolyte abnormalities are some areas in the intensive care unit where I feel as though I have excelled.
For my concentration rotation, I wanted to improve upon my knowledge by exploring this specialty in different facilities. I am currently finishing up my concentration rotation, which has varied in sites including Cooper University Hospital’s Level 1 Trauma Center, Capital Health Medical Center, and Nathan Speare Regional Burn Treatment Center.
I have also found an interest in working with surgery patients. While I was at Cooper University Hospital, I was able to develop relationships with patients on the surgical floors while providing them with preoperative and postoperative nutrition education. My hospital is currently implementing the enhanced recovery after surgery protocols, so it was a rewarding to see these strategies being utilized with my patients. These patients varied from having pancreatic surgeries to bariatric surgeries. This week, I had such an incredible opportunity to examine this area of nutrition from a different perspective. Not only was I provided with a new head to toe blue scrub attire, I was able to observe a surgeon perform a gastric bypass surgery. This experience is one that I will never forget.
My recommendation especially in your concentration rotation would be to push your limits, challenge yourself, and truly optimize every opportunity that you’re given!
For my concentration rotation, I wanted to improve upon my knowledge by exploring this specialty in different facilities. I am currently finishing up my concentration rotation, which has varied in sites including Cooper University Hospital’s Level 1 Trauma Center, Capital Health Medical Center, and Nathan Speare Regional Burn Treatment Center.
I have also found an interest in working with surgery patients. While I was at Cooper University Hospital, I was able to develop relationships with patients on the surgical floors while providing them with preoperative and postoperative nutrition education. My hospital is currently implementing the enhanced recovery after surgery protocols, so it was a rewarding to see these strategies being utilized with my patients. These patients varied from having pancreatic surgeries to bariatric surgeries. This week, I had such an incredible opportunity to examine this area of nutrition from a different perspective. Not only was I provided with a new head to toe blue scrub attire, I was able to observe a surgeon perform a gastric bypass surgery. This experience is one that I will never forget.
My recommendation especially in your concentration rotation would be to push your limits, challenge yourself, and truly optimize every opportunity that you’re given!
