A slow week at Rex

I spent the past four days working in the diet office, which was pretty relaxing after I learned to use the computer system and troubleshoot ordering issues. Rex has a room service model for its food service, so nutrition assistants are at the phones in the diet office to take orders for every meal. My last experience taking orders was at McDonald's (yes, I worked at McDonald's when I was sixteen), and this has been a far more positive experience. It was fun to work with all of the older ladies who call me "honey," a funny Brit named Ursula, and the lone man who was the good-natured target of many jokes in the office. I had pretty minimal contact with the dietitians, though.

The patients can usually order for themselves, although a few need to have their diets explained to them. (For example, diabetics are supposed to have a consistent number of carbohydrate exchanges at each meal.) The bigger problem comes when patients want to order something off their diet, or when their diet order hasn't yet been updated in the computer systems (yes, plural - systems). Patients didn't bat an eye (usually) when I said that it would be an hour until they got their food. At McDonald's, I got death stares if it took more than five minutes. Of course, there are impatient patients, angry families and frustrated nurses, but overall, people are pleasant and understanding.

The most helpful part about the week has been learning how the dietitians interface with food service, how the computer system works, what foods are available, and what each of the diets (from bariatric clear liquid to heart healthy to fluid restriction) includes. I think this will help me to hit the ground running when I start renal next week.

I never thought I'd say this, though, but I'm jealous of all of you who got experience writing notes this week. I think that will be a big challenge next week. As many of you know, I have trouble being concise.

I found out on Tuesday that I get free drinks...including coffee! I don't know how I would have gotten through the week without that perk. But I've survived my earliest wake-up calls for the summer - now I get to sleep in until 6:15!