Diet Office Volunteer- Chesapeake Regional Medical Center
In the summer of 2012 I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work as a volunteer in the diet office of Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. At the end of the summer I had volunteered over 150 hours and acquired skills I now apply in my undergraduate coursework and other nutrition and clinical experiences. During my daily interactions with patients I learned the importance of practitioner and client communication on health outcomes, especially related to diet. After shadowing the hospital's dietitian, Lisa Coco, numerous diet office clerks I learned the components of specific diets commonly encountered in a clinical setting such as diabetic carbohydrate counting, renal diets, and various fluid only diets. When I was not on the hospital floors helping patients with menus and meals, I worked in the department of food service where I entered patient menus and helped with the preparation of patient meals. My time at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center was rewarding and invigorating. When it was time for this experience to come to an end, I left knowing I would be better prepared for the next two years of my undergraduate career and had a clearer vision for my future in the field of dietetics.
In the summer of 2012 I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work as a volunteer in the diet office of Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. At the end of the summer I had volunteered over 150 hours and acquired skills I now apply in my undergraduate coursework and other nutrition and clinical experiences. During my daily interactions with patients I learned the importance of practitioner and client communication on health outcomes, especially related to diet. After shadowing the hospital's dietitian, Lisa Coco, numerous diet office clerks I learned the components of specific diets commonly encountered in a clinical setting such as diabetic carbohydrate counting, renal diets, and various fluid only diets. When I was not on the hospital floors helping patients with menus and meals, I worked in the department of food service where I entered patient menus and helped with the preparation of patient meals. My time at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center was rewarding and invigorating. When it was time for this experience to come to an end, I left knowing I would be better prepared for the next two years of my undergraduate career and had a clearer vision for my future in the field of dietetics.
Cook- Camp Rudolph's Winter Overnight Camp
With over 40 mouths to feed breakfast, lunch, and dinner over 2 days and 3 nights, my experience as Camp Rudolph's co-cook with fellow a dietetic student left me with a thorough understanding of the work that goes into not only the preparation of meals, but also the time and resources it takes to ensure each person has enough food that fits individual dietary needs. Each meal has to take into account camper preferences, potential allergies, resources needed to prepare specific components, and time scheduling to ensure the meal is on time. When you have two components that require oven time, you have to make sure each minute of cooking is planned so that food is hot and delicious when it reaches the plate. This experience also allowed me to put my new ServSafe Certification into practice! Not a meal went by that the meat temperature wasn't checked, proper hand washing wasn't done (scrub for at least 20 seconds!), and cross contamination wasn't always on the mind! When you are working in food service not a minute in the kitchen goes by when you aren't on your feet and working to prepare the best meal possible!
With over 40 mouths to feed breakfast, lunch, and dinner over 2 days and 3 nights, my experience as Camp Rudolph's co-cook with fellow a dietetic student left me with a thorough understanding of the work that goes into not only the preparation of meals, but also the time and resources it takes to ensure each person has enough food that fits individual dietary needs. Each meal has to take into account camper preferences, potential allergies, resources needed to prepare specific components, and time scheduling to ensure the meal is on time. When you have two components that require oven time, you have to make sure each minute of cooking is planned so that food is hot and delicious when it reaches the plate. This experience also allowed me to put my new ServSafe Certification into practice! Not a meal went by that the meat temperature wasn't checked, proper hand washing wasn't done (scrub for at least 20 seconds!), and cross contamination wasn't always on the mind! When you are working in food service not a minute in the kitchen goes by when you aren't on your feet and working to prepare the best meal possible!
Menu Planner- Virginia Beach Public Schools
The summer of 2012 was a big one for public school nutrition! The new USDA guidelines were put into effect, and that meant new menus to plan, new food to order, and lots of taste testings! I was privileged to be a part of this process and make some of the many decisions regarding menus and food products under the guidance of Valerie Lewis, R.D. Through many taste testings with staff and students we were able to plan new menus with food the students would enjoy and be excited to eat, while making the necessary changes required by the USDA. I hope these new guidelines have helped get students excited about healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains because I know these awesome foods will help them both inside and outside of the classroom!
Retrieved from http://www.tesd.net/cms/lib/PA01001259/Centricity/Domain/34/a_healthy_future.jpg on 05/02/2013
The summer of 2012 was a big one for public school nutrition! The new USDA guidelines were put into effect, and that meant new menus to plan, new food to order, and lots of taste testings! I was privileged to be a part of this process and make some of the many decisions regarding menus and food products under the guidance of Valerie Lewis, R.D. Through many taste testings with staff and students we were able to plan new menus with food the students would enjoy and be excited to eat, while making the necessary changes required by the USDA. I hope these new guidelines have helped get students excited about healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains because I know these awesome foods will help them both inside and outside of the classroom!
Retrieved from http://www.tesd.net/cms/lib/PA01001259/Centricity/Domain/34/a_healthy_future.jpg on 05/02/2013