Clinical Service
My Patient Experience
Clinical nutrition was the area in which I had the least experience going into my internship, but it’s the rotation that I enjoyed the most. I was always excited to come into work and have the chance to talk to patients about a topic that I have been studying for several years, and potentially make a positive impact on their health moving forward.
Recent Projects
Major Case Study
Patient JL is a renal patient with cardiovascular complications. This case study outlines the cardiovascular risks that coincide with end stage renal disease, and some of the nutritional interventions that may benefit this patient population. Since I was unable to complete a renal rotation at a dialysis center due to COVID-19 restrictions, this case study served as a way for me to dive deep in learning about the renal diet.
Research Project
This presentation focuses on the current research regarding COVID-19 and its nutritional implications, including suggested nutrient involvements, research that has already been completed, and areas of future research. I chose this topic because of its relevance to today’s world, and to refresh my memory on how the different vitamins and minerals play a role in our immune system- specifically how they relate to COVID-19.
Performance Improvement
Advent Health Waterman hospital uses the malnutrition screening tool (MST) as their nutrition screening tool. I tracked dietitian consultations that were triggered by MST scores and assessed the accuracy of the consultation. Out of 169 consultations, 79 were inappropriate (47%) meaning the consultation did not lead to an intervention by a registered dietitian. An intervention was implemented in hopes of improving the accuracy of the consultations. This extensive project helped me get more comfortable with working with interdisciplinary teams, while also creating a positive impact on the dietitians’ workload in the future. The dietitians were thankful that I was going to do a project that can improve their daily work.
Transitional Feeding Plan
Follow a patient’s progress from parenteral nutrition, to continuous enteral feedings, to bolus feedings, and finally to PO intake with appropriate transition recommendations. Creating this transition feeding plan helped me become more comfortable with writing tube feeding orders, preparing me for the necessary skills needed for a future clinical dietitian.
My Sample Menus
Cardiac
1-day plant-based sample menu with recipes that’s low in sodium and saturated fat, and contains adequate protein, fiber, and unsaturated fat. And tasty too! This menu showcases that watching your sodium intake does not always mean boring and bland.
Carbohydrate Controlled
1-day sample menu with recipes all <45g carbohydrates per serving. This sample menu is also low cost, and utilizes mainly shelf stable foods. Creating this menu plan taught me the importance of taking into consideration peoples’ economic status when making diet recommendations.
7-day vegetarian carbohydrate controlled menu. This menu showcases ways on how to properly distribute carbohydrates throughout the day with simple meal ideas. During my time at the Diabetes Education Center, I realized a lot of the patients need clear direction. Making a meal plan that showcases meals that people commonly eat at home that is portioned appropriately can be useful for most people new to carbohydrate counting.
Renal
A 2-week vegetarian menu that is low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, yet adequate in protein. Perfect for any dialysis patient looking to eat more plant-based! As I’ve learned from the dialysis patients that I saw in the hospital, the renal diet can be a bit overwhelming and boring. Having a diverse, sample meal plan with colorful dishes at every meal may help patients feel better about their diet restrictions.