Internship Update

Interns with Internship Director (Left to Right): Amanda, Sylvia, Hai Van, Kristin, Jen, Tere, Sarah

Hello! Just thought I would let everyone know that things are going very well in my internship.

It started in August with about 2 weeks of orientation and learning the policies and procedures of the hospital. After that, we started our administrative rotations, which go from September to Mid-November. In that time I have had rotations with the supervisors, cooks, diet aides, diet techs, chief and assistant chiefs, and the administrative dietitian. I also went to San Diego Hospice for a week and the San Diego Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo. In that time I have done SO MANY projects and it is pretty awesome to see what all I have accomplished.

My favorite rotation so far has been with the Administrative Dietitian, where did a sensory presentation for 4 new food items. We also made a theme meal for patients in the community Living Center. My partner, Sylvia, and I were in charge of a "happy hour event" and we made it a fiesta theme. We made mini empanadas, chips, salsa, churros, watermelon balls with lime and cilantro and then "virgin strawberry margaritas" (which were delicious and made of just frozen strawberries and 7-up). That is also the RD that we created menus for, did costing for them and made procurement sheets, which is pretty fun stuff.

Serving patients at the CLC theme meal

Our decorated cart

I also have done a business plan on the new domiciliary facility, a plate waste study, and a massive evaluative study on one of the current procedures. The internship has a concentration in Patient Centered Care and this year we have a special project that relates to patient centered care. My project that I will be working on all year is creating a newsletter about patient centered care. It is pretty exciting because the department doesn't have a newsletter, so I get to design it and create the content for it.

This week I am doing my staff relief in the kitchen, which basically involves making sure the food service workers are doing their job and checking on temperatures and keeping different areas locked. Nothing major, but the hours are 11-7:30, which is a little late for me. Jeff and I wake up at 4:45 every morning, so after I get home at 8, there isn't much time for anything else. Today is my last day of that schedule though. Next week I am going to be at the School District, working with the RD there to develop nutrition programs for elementary school kids. It should be a lot of fun!

Also this week, I am giving an in-service to the food service workers on Consistent Carbohydrate Diets. Tomorrow, I am giving a 45 minute administrative seminar on Motivation theories and strategies. Hopefully all will go well and I don't stumble over my words too much.

I really am enjoying my internship. It is a lot of work, but so much fun at the same time. Also, every week and every day is different, so it never gets boring. I was a little nervous to start in the kitchen, because I don't have much experience outside of my own kitchen at home. But I am now super comfortable now and get along with the staff really well. I also LOVE the girls in my internship, we have all bonded so much in a short amount of time. During the admin rotation, we have a lot of rotations together, which is very comforting. In a couple weeks, we start our clinical rotations, which will last all the way until May. I am really excited to start that section of the internship, but the interns won't be all together anymore, which is a little sad.

Anyway - That's what's been going on for me since August. There isn't a lot to post about, and not much time...but things are going well!

Until next time...