Field Experience Fall 2010

 La Crosse, WI  Summer 2009 (160 Hours)  I obtained the R.D.’s on their website and ed her information regarding field experience. She gave me a contact person to set up my field experience.  325 bed Facility  24 R.D.’s  3 Dietetic Assistants

 Westby, WI (about 30 minutes from La Crosse)  Summer 2010 (160 Hours)  Throughout ing several R.D.’s in the La Crosse area I got in contact with Nicole, she is a Stout graduate and really wanted to help, I set up everything directly through her.  1 RD, Nicole Jones  1,128 Students, the school serves about 60% of students. The district is made up of two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school

 #1 Self Reflective Journal  #2 Budget Process  Both required projects I completed at the Westby School District. I interviewed Nicole and other food service staff in order to complete these projects. These may have been some of the most time consuming projects but I learned a lot from completing them.

 Reinhart donated some of their new chicken products in the hope that the school district would purchase them.  I Helped prepare chicken, developed an online survey, set up the taste testing with two classes, and analyzed results.  The results will be used to decide what chicken to purchase next year for the menu.

 For this project I developed a spreadsheet that contained every item on the menu.  For each product I found the serving size, calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, percent calories from fat, protein, carbohydrates, sugars, sodium, fiber, and cholesterol.  It also includes what meal component the product meets, it says if it is a meat/meat alternative, bread/grain, or fruit/vegetable.  The spreadsheet will be posted in all the cafeterias and online for students, parents, and faculty to see.

 For each month school is in session I created a menu back.  Each menu back is themed based on that particular month. Things varied from healthy holiday eating, fiber focus month, and fresh fruit and vegetable month.  Put on the menu backs were crosswords, word searches, color me pictures, recipes, and fun facts.  When the menu is given to students each month this will be on the back side of the menu and will also be posted online.  Menu Backs\June.doc Menu Backs\June.doc  Menu Backs\october.doc Menu Backs\october.doc  Menu Backs\December.doc Menu Backs\December.doc

 The 500 club is a program through Gundersen Lutheran where local business can join and have items on the menu become a part of the 500 club. In order for it to qualify as a 500 club item it must be under 500 calories and controlled in fat.  The newsletter I wrote was sent to all of the business that are a part of the 500 club at Gundersen Lutheran.  500 club newsletter.doc 500 club newsletter.doc

 Each member of the 500 club is given a recipe they have to follow to meet the requirements of being a 500 club item, they are also given stickers, signs, posters, and other information about the 500 club.  The evaluation I developed asked key questions to make sure the member is following the recipe correctly, advertising their items, and their staff is knowledgeable of the 500 club.  Once the Evaluation was created I also performed an evaluation at one of the members locations.

 For the winning weigh program they had me act as if I was a new R.D. that was going to teach a winning weighs class.  I went through all of the training modules and activities just as an R.D. would have.  I also observed several classes throughout the summer that the R.D.’s were teaching.  Once I had completed the training I taught a class to the R.D.’s from the winning weighs program, I chose week 2 “moving” forward.  Class 02 Moving Forward.ppt Class 02 Moving Forward.ppt

 For this project the in-patient R.D.’s were interested in learning more about spinal cord injuries.  I researched spinal cord injuries related to nutrition and then developed a power point.  Once this was completed I present the power point to all of the in-patient R.D.’s at their monthly meeting.  Spinal Cord Injuries.ppt Spinal Cord Injuries.ppt

 Both of these audits are preformed on a monthly basis.  For the test tray audit I was given a patients meal and evaluated it, the evaluation was based on points and if they met the standard.  The food safety and sanitation audit evaluation had eight different sections and was also based on standards and the category was rewarded a certain amount of points based on that.  Unfortunately they failed both of the audits I preformed, though they were close to passing and meeting the standards.

 500 club day  500 club recruitment  500 club meal verification  Women’s center research  Observed Kidney failure class  Observed several clinical orbs  Observed department meetings  Participated in renal failure Webinar  Sat in on Pressure Ulcer treatment and therapy presentation.  Observed Food Service workers  Trivia with students at breakfast break  Observed Monroe on The Go (MOGO) Meeting  Lunch room remodeling

 I really enjoyed both locations I worked at, Gundersen Lutheran Hospital and Westby School district. I was able to learn in both a clinical and food service setting. I was also at a location that had one R.D. and a location that had 24. I had such a great experience at both locations and learned so much that I would have not learned otherwise.

 Start looking for locations as early as your sophomore year you may not be able to get all of your hours done in one summer or at one location.  Don’t be afraid to start contacting places early in the school year as well, the earlier you start the less stressful finding a location will be as summer gets closer.  Make a phone call, it is a lot more personal and you will get your answer right away. If they ask for further information then send an .  Start your portfolio early, write your evaluations as soon as you finish your projects it is much easier to complete them.