Hi everyone! My name is Veronica Lua and I am a Sodexo dietetic distance intern from San Diego, California. Like many other interns, I felt a bit overwhelmed prior to starting and in the beginning of this internship. To better prepare myself for this internship, I made sure to look ahead and familiarize myself with all of the readings, assignments and quizzes. I invested in a small pocket planner to carry with me everywhere, organized my assignments in my computer to easily locate them, and either downloaded or printed readings to pace myself. I have taken my directors’ advice and “do something everyday.” Being organized has helped keep my stress levels down, stay on track and maximize my learning experience.
I am currently in my clinical rotation and started off in Riverside Community Hospital by participating in an interdisciplinary care round where I worked with nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and case managers to discuss and implement appropriate care for patients. Working as part of a team and actively going on the floor not only benefits the patient but also helps build communication, respect, and rapport between you and other medical professionals. Apart from working with other medical professionals, I have been working side by side with exceptional dietitians. The dietitians here have taught me how to effectively and efficiently read patient health information and implement adequate recommendations and goals for patients. I have also had the opportunity to talk to patients and family members. As should be, I make sure to read patients’ past history and come in prepared with appropriate questions such as: How is your appetite? Do you have any difficulties with chewing or swallowing? Have you been feeling nauseous or been vomiting? Have you had any weight loss or gain recently? Questions that are simple but can open the doors to several underlying nutrition issues for the patient. I’ve had the opportunity to provide nutrition education about a heart healthy diet, emphasizing the importance of limiting salt, choosing low fat, and choosing healthy fats. Although I am only a few days into my clinical rotation, I feel that I have already learned so much and cannot wait to see what these next few months will be like in my clinical rotation experience!
I am currently in my clinical rotation and started off in Riverside Community Hospital by participating in an interdisciplinary care round where I worked with nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and case managers to discuss and implement appropriate care for patients. Working as part of a team and actively going on the floor not only benefits the patient but also helps build communication, respect, and rapport between you and other medical professionals. Apart from working with other medical professionals, I have been working side by side with exceptional dietitians. The dietitians here have taught me how to effectively and efficiently read patient health information and implement adequate recommendations and goals for patients. I have also had the opportunity to talk to patients and family members. As should be, I make sure to read patients’ past history and come in prepared with appropriate questions such as: How is your appetite? Do you have any difficulties with chewing or swallowing? Have you been feeling nauseous or been vomiting? Have you had any weight loss or gain recently? Questions that are simple but can open the doors to several underlying nutrition issues for the patient. I’ve had the opportunity to provide nutrition education about a heart healthy diet, emphasizing the importance of limiting salt, choosing low fat, and choosing healthy fats. Although I am only a few days into my clinical rotation, I feel that I have already learned so much and cannot wait to see what these next few months will be like in my clinical rotation experience!
