Just Say Yes!
I walk into a patient's room with my preceptor and she stands strong and introduces us both, says hello and then gets right down to business. She explains what the patient will receive with his meals and the importance of food as medicine for healing. She takes one look at him and has her answers. No fuss, no feathers, no extras. He knows she means business and that he will get better if he listens to her. That's what it's like to be a dietitian and food administrator for the California Men’s Colony, Correctional Treatment Center (CMC).
You might be thinking, I could never imagine working in a prison or making a difference in that environment. I thought that too until my first day and now I have an entirely new perspective. The prison system is unique in that patients receive excellent care because it is within one system, in which they do not have the option to leave, for obvious reasons. Yes, this environment is unique and not a fit for everyone however, you might surprise yourself when you try things outside of your comfort zone. At first, I thought it would be difficult to ignore the obvious barrier that they are inmates; however, I learned quickly that if you treat them as patients first, it can feel similar to any other acute care facility (you also learn quickly that Ensure and snacks are heaven on earth to these men). La Don Silva has a fiery personality and bold sense of humor with a huge heart that follows. She made me feel safe in an unknown environment and introduced me to each staff member as we went by. She pushed me to give the best version of myself and valued me as an intern. Her way of giving back to the profession is to work with interns and to help guide them to be successful dietitians.
La Don is a Cal Poly alum who completed her dietetic internship at UCSF where she was exposed to a wide variety of cases. She has worked in long term care as a consulting dietitian, a clinical dietitian in Bakersfield, private practice, and lastly worked in pharmaceutical sales for over 20 years. She has told me countless times that if you can understand each medication that a patient is taking, then you already know what's wrong with them before looking at the chart (also known as you better know your medications!). La Don made her way back home to the central coast and has been at CMC for the last three years. She has made strides and leaps to move the food service department in a positive direction and impact patients' quality of life for the better. She understands the big picture and sees that changing eating styles can extend life and create self-efficacy. Her passion in this field comes from her main thought that good food equals good health and if we can change people’s relationship with food one step at a time we are already in the right direction.
Along with her power to change for the better come challenges. LaDon says, “any job is only as good as the person above you,” meaning that if you have a boss who allows you to excel and gives you the resources and time then there is nothing stopping you from achieving greatness. She tells me dive in into what I love and run with it and that no job feels like work if it is what makes you happy.
Lastly, LaDon gave a me a few tips when moving forward though this internship and beyond. She is a true believer that we need to support our profession and the organizations that got us here, especially the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She values joining different focus groups and catching up on the latest research available and always pushing yourself to learn as much as you can each day. So I challenge you to say yes to the next opportunity that arises and to not be afraid of the unknown because you might find yourself meeting new people with fresh perspectives, new tools to keep in your back pocket, and a boost of confidence in yourself you never knew you needed.
