Internship: Orientation

I just completed the two-week orientation portion of my internship. During the two weeks I learned about standard things such as hospital policies and procedures, electronic charting using PowerChart, paper charting, diet order requests through CBORD, the layout of the hospital, HIPAA, patient interviewing skills and use of the university's library system among other things. I also spent some time touring the formulary room where a couple of people work doing nothing but mixing infant formulas in a sterile environment. Then I spent one morning sampling many of the dietary supplements (like Boost and Ensure), tube feeding products (like Jevity and Oxepa), and dysphagia diet thickened liquids given to patients so that I would understand why patients may complain about certain products. One morning I shadowed a dietetic technician (DTR) where we interviewed three patients. Then I also shadowed two registered dietitians (RD - what I am working toward becoming) for two separate mornings. One day I spent in the SICU (surgical ICU) and one other unit where we interviewed two patients and did rounds with the nurse practitioner and RN for the unit. The second RD works in the NICU so we spent our time there checking TPN orders (IV feedings) and rounding with the attending physician, unit nurse practitioners and the unit nurses.

The two weeks of orientation went by quickly! I really like the other three girls who matched at the program with me. One of the girls is from here and the other two moved here from upstate New York for the internship. We all get along really well and I think the year is going to be a lot of fun mixed with the copious amounts of work coming our way. I've been paired with the other girl from Maryland so we'll complete our rotations together for the remainder of the year while the two New York girls do their rotations together. We all have to complete 22 weeks of clinical rotations, 5 weeks of foodservice, 3 weeks of community and then 4 weeks of staff relief in an area of our choice. We also have "joint class days" throughout the year where we meet up with all of the dietetic interns in this region for lectures covering various topics.

Up Next: Cardiac Clinical Rotation, 2 weeks