The End is Near

I have been with the outpatient dietitian for the past two days, and while it has been painfully slow, there have been some noteworthy moments. Also, it has been an eye opening experience to see the contrast of inpatient verses outpatient. The clinic has some scheduled appointments, but they also take walk-ins. Many of the patients cancel their appointments or just do not show. So it is a bit frustrating.

Only 2 patients have come in when I have been there, and in both cases they were very kind and appreciative of the information. It is nice having the patients coming to you for advice when they are healthy and do not have other things on their mind, rather than trying to educate them when they do not feel well and are distracted by their surroundings. Other benefits of outpatient counseling include having more time with the patient and having more resources, such as their medical record with lab values and food models.

I also was able to observe a weight loss class that is part of the MOVES program at the VA. Unfortunately only one participant attended, but the diet tech taught the class anyway. The patient was very open and enjoyed telling stories. Some of them helped explain his struggles with food and weight, which he claimed was near 400 lbs. Not only were his stories interesting, but it was valuable for me to hear what his life is like. I think the experience will help me to better understand and empathize with patients in the future.