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|KRD Reflections|
In Words & Artifacts
This page is dedicated to demonstrating my proficiency in Knowledge
Requirements for RDs (KRD) throughout my DPD program.
A portrayal of reflections-captured in Glacier National Park on August 2015.
|Scientific & Evidence Base of Practice|
The curriculum must reflect the scientific basis of the dietetics profession and must include research methodology, interpretation of research literature and integration of research principles into evidence-based practice.
|Reflection| Projects and assignments for my Research methods, Macronutrients and Micronutrients courses provided me the skills to critically review research literature and objectively interpret results. Evidence-based research is essential to dietetics as it is a novel and an ever-changing science. Below are examples of my work in these courses, where I successfully demonstrated my abilities to locate peer-reviewed research articles, use proper citations and follow appropriate research methodology.
|Professional Practice Expectations|
The curriculum must include opportunities to develop a variety of communication skills sufficient for entry into pre-professional practice.
|Reflection| Various opportunities and assignments during my clinic practicum at Bastyr Center for Natural Health and in Food Science allowed me to gain a diverse array of interpersonal skills. During clinic, I practiced using simple examples to communicate certain nutrition processes to clients. In Food Science lab, I worked closely with my peers to complete orally presented lab reports, enabling me to exercise communication skills with fellow nutrition students. Finally, in Great Falls, Montana I taught Diabetes Prevention classes that further versed me in teaching communication skills. The following are some examples of my orally presented work.
The curriculum must provide principles and techniques of effective
counseling methods.
|Reflection| Adequate counseling skills are imperative to providing effective nutrition education and motivating behavior change. During my time at Bastyr University, I have been fortunate to learn valuable nutrition counseling methods in multiple courses, such as Fundamentals of Counseling and Nutritional Counseling. Specific assignments demonstrating my proficiency in basic counseling are located below.
The curriculum must include opportunities to understand governance of dietetics practice, such as the Scope of Dietetics Practice and the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics; and interdisciplinary relationships in various practice settings.
|Reflection| As health care professionals, dietitians adhere to the scope of dietetics practice and code of ethics to ensure optimal care and safety. Completing ethics case studies during my Introduction to Dietetics class exposed me to a variety of ethical and scope of practice concerns that dietitians encounter. Additionally, being a student nutrition clinician at Bastyr Center for Natural Health has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of how different clinic departments work together within their respective scopes to provide the best possible coordination of care to clients.
|Clinical & Customer Service|
The curriculum must reflect the principles of Medical Nutrition Therapy and the practice of the nutrition care process, including principles and methods of assessment, diagnosis, identification and implementation of interventions and strategies for monitoring and evaluation.
|Reflection| Completion of case studies on fictitious patients for my Nutrition Therapy & Assessment (NAT) courses equipped me with the knowledge and skills to prioritize the most important nutrition concerns of given patients. These courses also allowed me to practice the flow of the nutrition care process in preparation for clinic. This process is a necessary guide to creating scientifically-supported, high-impact interventions. Thus, I will continue to exercise the principles and methods of Medical Nutrition Therapy with real-life clients during my clinic shifts and vow to remain up-to-date on current trends and advancements in nutrition research. Below is an example of one my practice case studies for NAT.
The curriculum must include the role of environment, food, nutrition and lifestyle choices in health promotion and disease prevention.
|Reflection| Having been fortunate to work with people of varying cultures and backgrounds through my dietetic internship expereince in New Zealand and Great Falls, Montana as well as at Seattle's North Helpline Food Bank, I have significantly grown my flexibility and adaptability skills to meet individuals where they are. I believe that in order to truly make a disease-preventing, positive impact on a person, I must respect and acknowledge their culture and unique situation.
The curriculum must include education and behavior change theories and techniques.
|Reflection| My Fundamentals of Counseling course introduced me to the concept of Motivational Interviewing and ways to identify the stages of behavior change to prepare me for Nutritional Counseling the following quarter. In Nutritional Counseling, I was taught in-depth about the Motivational Interviewing technique and how to utilize it to internally motivate behavior change in clients. One required assignment in this class involved utilizing the MI technique on an actual nutrition client. Although I found it challenging, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and now feel better prepared to successfully employ this technique with future clients. A sample of my reflections on the assignment below.
|Practice Management & Use of Resources|
The curriculum must include management and business theories and principles required to deliver programs and services
|Reflection| During Food Service Management class this past quarter, I learned how critical the dietitian’s role is to business and management within the food service system. I personally constructed a business plan from scratch for a prospective foodservice operation. This highly involved project allowed me to gain first-hand insight on the plethora of considerations and complexities that go into managing a food service facility. In my future Food Service Management courses, I will continue to build upon my competency of business theories, budgeting, and operations to finalize my business plan as well as execute a successful catering event in the community.
The curriculum must include content related to quality management of food and nutrition services.
|Reflection| Food Service Management I successfully prepared me for the management of safety for food service operations with my ServSafe certification as evidence below. My own experiences as a nutrition intern in hospitals and as a cooking assistant in educational programs has enabled me to practice and adhere to food safety principals while working with at-risk populations.
The curriculum must include the fundamentals of public policy, including the legislative and regulatory basis of dietetics
|Reflection| This KRD will be updated and completed during Winter Quarter 2016 when I have completed TR6133 Contemporary Issues: Public Health. It is my sincere hope that future health care systems establish better policies for acknowleding the vital role dietitians play in improving the country's current health state and preventing future disease.
The curriculum must include content related to health care systems.
|Reflection| The curriculum requirements of Nutritional Assessment and Therapy 1 and 2, Nutritional Supplements and Medical Nutrition Therapy courses focus on proper protocol in a health care system such as patient charting, dietetic scope of practice, and the importance of coordination of care with other health care professionals and providers.
The curriculum must include content related to coding and billing of dietetics/nutrition services to obtain reimbursement for services from public or private insurers.
|Reflection| I have had the pleasure of completing my nutrition clinic practicum this quarter at Bastyr Center for Natural Health, which has versed me well in carrying out coding and billing of nutrition services using EPIC software. Over the course of this quarter, I have developed an understanding of how patient-specific insurance coding is utilized to ensure billing validity with various providers, but still have more to learn in this area. I am eager to expand my knowledge further in the world of billing and coding during my time as a student clincian.
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