CLINICAL - FIELD EXPERIENCE

Sodexo at Lehigh Valley Health Network

Lehigh Valley Hospital Locations:

• Cedar Crest – 

  • Inpatient: Oncology, Burn Unit, Trauma, Cardiac Unit, Neuroscience Unit, Pediatrics, ALS Clinic, (NICU, PICU, CICU, MICU/SICU, ICU)

  • Outpatient: Weight Management, Pediatrics-Endo, Transplant, Children’s Specialty Center

• Muhlenberg – 

  • Inpatient: MICU/SICU, Rehabilitation, Cardiac Unit

  • Outpatient: Helwig Diabetes Center

  • Management

• Good Shephard Rehabilitation Center: Inpatient – Rehabilitation, Long-term care

• 17th Street: Outpatient - Pediatrics, Aids Activities Office, Women’s Medicine Clinic, Hospice

During my field experience, I was able to participate in multiple locations of the Lehigh valley health network listed above. Each location offered a different learning experience with unique specialties. Each specialty was led by a different dietitian. I was able to shadow over 30+ dietitians which meant 30+ specialties which was an amazing experience. 

This experience taught me a lot of lessons and not just about nutrition. For instance, I learned a lot about time management. Meeting with a different dietitian with a different specialty and in a different location meant I had to learn quickly how to organize my schedule. I stayed organized and on time by reaching out to each dietitian in advance to introduce myself and confirm our meeting time, meeting place, and to ask if I needed to bring anything specific. While switching between specialties seemed confusing at first, I learned to keep my thoughts organized by keeping a notebook with me each day.

Throughout the experience, I also learned more about medical counseling and the importance of being empathetic while discussing concerns with patients. Furthermore, by observing counseling I learned many techniques on how to handle different situations professionally such as difficult patients.   

Some clinical tasks that I completed during the experience include:

• Calculating energy expenditure, body mass index, ideal body weight, body weight %, etc.

• Researching nutrition's role in diets for various disease states and disorders

• Assisting in charting and completing mock ADIMES

• Attending inpatient rounds in various units

• Calculating nutrition needs and formulas for tube-fed patients

• Attending team huddles in inpatient dietitian office

• Conducting test trays