Clinical Nutrition
McCullough Hyde Memorial Hospital
As a student intern at McCullough Hyde Memorial Hospital (MHMH) in Oxford, Ohio, I worked with a dietitian who oversaw the 45-bed inpatient floor. The dietitian and I reviewed the medical chart and nutritional status to formulate the dietitian evaluation of new or existing patients. We visited patients to discuss their current diet, such as a heart healthy, diabetic or low sodium diet, and if they followed a specific diet at home. I learned how to chart the dietitian’s notes into EPIC medical record system. I learned about total parental nutrition (TPN) and patients’ nutritional needs administered through a feeding tube. The formula is chosen based on each patient’s needs and calculated per feeding period. At the Employee Health Fair, I represented the nutrition department and provided and discussed recipes and healthy deserts. At the beginning of each month, I created eye-catching bulletin boards with a relevant health or nutrition topic. When MHMH switched food service vendors I updated recipes with the products used by the new vendor. During my intern experience, I gained valuable insight into the role of the dietary department within the hospital and the relationship in foodservice. For more information on MHMH, please visit http://www.mhmh.org |
Matheny Hospital
I volunteered as a student intern at Matheny, which is a special hospital for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities. This facility provides a special education school providing academics, combined with functional life skills, for students ages 3-21. Additionally, Matheny provides a comprehensive outpatient center meeting the health care needs of people with all types of disabilities. Most of the residents had mental retardation with dysphagia, resulting in aspiration. I observed the dietary department operation and a portion of the food service operation. I was exposed to modified consistency diets, the process of preparing modified consistency food, and the use of thickeners including honey and nectar thickened. Furthermore, most of the residents require special bowls, cups, and spoons to accommodate for ease with eating. Based on the diet order of the patient, I created a meal ticket for each patient’s tray that reflected his or her diet. I altered meal tickets by substituting acceptable items if the menu did not fit into a specific diet. I accompanied the lead registered dietitian and reviewed medical records and staff logs about patients’ diet related concerns. I was also exposed to cross functional group patient discussions with the physician team and ancillary staff, regarding the health and needs of the patients.
For more information on Matheny, please visit http://www.matheny.org
For more information on Matheny, please visit http://www.matheny.org