Seeing Past the Disorder: What I’ve Learned as a Dietetics Professional

The responsibility of a dietetic intern is to learn. From the time I stepped foot onto Cal Poly’s campus I accepted this responsibility with the understanding that I wouldn’t graduate with the same knowledge and perception that I came with. Each rotation has brought different challenges and lessons, from my clinical “aha” moments to my food service excel spreadsheets.The most important lesson that I have learned about being a dietetics professional is that my patients and clients are not their disease, short-comings, failures, or conditions. They are students with creativity and talent, they are grandparents who have lived beautiful lives, they are babies who are cherished, they are employees with incredible work ethic, and they are people just like you and me. Every rotation has screamed this theme to me as I counseled, educated, calculated and observed. It can be really challenging as a dietetic professional to see our patients, clients, employees, or residents as people and not just another task. I have learned that valuing these people as people changes the way that I provide care.

For example, I recently completed a rotation at the Central Coast Treatment Center for eating disorders. I have zero experience with this population and was honestly terrified going into this rotation. My only knowledge of this population came from rumors and textbooks. So my impressions were that the clients receiving treatment were going to be aggressive, manipulative, and depressed. My very first counseling session that I had the opportunity of sitting in on changed my perspective on this population the moment the client walked in the room. This was a young woman who looked like every other young woman I’ve seen around campus. She wasn’t extremely thin or scary. As she began to talk about what she was going through it became very apparent that this wasn’t an illness that she chose but it was something that she was trying to fight. Every client I have met continued to show me that these patients could have been me, or my sister, or a friend. I realized my clients and patients are just human beings trying to get better. As dietetics professionals, when we begin to see past our clients’ condition we can truly empathize with them and provide the unconditional positive regard that they need.

During my food service management rotation at French Hospital I walked into the kitchen with true intimidation. It was large and filled with loud noises and busy people. I was nervous about working in such a fast-paced environment with people who were proficient in their jobs and obviously had been working in the kitchen for many years. I expected them to be annoyed at my many questions or bothered by the changes that I was asking them to implement but they welcomed me with open arms. As I worked alongside these once intimidating people, I began to talk to them about their families, friends and hobbies. I realized that these people were fathers, mothers, sisters, and friends. They enjoyed running, cooking, and music. The lesson that I learned at the Central Coast Treatment Center wasn’t specific to that population or specific to just clients and patients. Even as a food service director or clinical manager it is essential to know your employees as more than just workers but as people. I had a very intentional preceptor at French Hospital, who took time to truly get to know her employees. She understood that they had families at home or other activities outside of work. Being a dietetics professional may entail managerial responsibilities which means not only knowing your employees as hard workers, talented cooks, or their job title but acknowledging that they are so much more.

Seeing the whole person is the most important lesson that I have learned as a dietetics professional. It reaches past the walls of a hospital and extends to every task that involves face-to-face interaction. I have spent time at Project Teen Health, MVME wellness, Marian Regional Medical Center, French Hospital, Central Coast Treatment Center and Compass Long-term Care. These rotations were very different experiences including food service, community and clinical. I can truly tell you that seeing people and understanding that what I’m seeing on the surface is not the whole story has changed the way I see my profession. When we can begin to see our clients, patients, employees, and coworkers as more than just a disorder, career choice, or struggle we are able to offer a genuine helping hand. Acknowledging that these people are a mother, father, friend, crafter, teacher, runner, musician, surfer…human being, we create a mindset that allows us as dietetic professionals to provide the care and leadership that can truly aid in behavior change.