Katie Carson

1. Katie Carson Field Experience Fall 2010

2. Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center • La Crosse, WI • Summer 2009 (160 Hours) • I obtained the R.D.’s email on their website and emailed her information regarding field experience. She gave me a contact person to set up my field experience. • 325 bed Facility • 24 R.D.’s • 3 Dietetic Assistants

3. Westby School District • Westby, WI (about 30 minutes from La Crosse) • Summer 2010 (160 Hours) • Throughout emailing several R.D.’s in the La Crosse area I got in contact with Nicole, she is a Stout graduate and really wanted to help, I set up everything directly through her. • 1 RD, Nicole Jones • 1,128 Students, the school serves about 60% of students. The district is made up of two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school

4. Required Projects • #1 Self Reflective Journal • #2 Budget Process • Both required projects I completed at the Westby School District. I interviewed Nicole and other food service staff in order to complete these projects. These may have been some of the most time consuming projects but I learned a lot from completing them.

5. Chicken Taste Testing • Reinhart donated some of their new chicken products in the hope that the school district would purchase them. • I Helped prepare chicken, developed an online survey, set up the taste testing with two classes, and analyzed results. • The results will be used to decide what chicken to purchase next year for the menu.

6. Nutritional Information Spreadsheet • For this project I developed a spreadsheet that contained every item on the menu. • For each product I found the serving size, calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, percent calories from fat, protein, carbohydrates, sugars, sodium, fiber, and cholesterol. • It also includes what meal component the product meets, it says if it is a meat/meat alternative, bread/grain, or fruit/vegetable. • The spreadsheet will be posted in all the cafeterias and online for students, parents, and faculty to see.

7. Menu Backs • For each month school is in session I created a menu back. • Each menu back is themed based on that particular month. Things varied from healthy holiday eating, fiber focus month, and fresh fruit and vegetable month. • Put on the menu backs were crosswords, word searches, color me pictures, recipes, and fun facts. • When the menu is given to students each month this will be on the back side of the menu and will also be posted online. • Menu Backs\June.doc • Menu Backs\october.doc • Menu Backs\December.doc

8. 500 Club Newsletter • The 500 club is a program through Gundersen Lutheran where local business can join and have items on the menu become a part of the 500 club. In order for it to qualify as a 500 club item it must be under 500 calories and controlled in fat. • The newsletter I wrote was sent to all of the business that are a part of the 500 club at Gundersen Lutheran. • 500 club newsletter.doc

9. 500 Club Member Evaluation • Each member of the 500 club is given a recipe they have to follow to meet the requirements of being a 500 club item, they are also given stickers, signs, posters, and other information about the 500 club. • The evaluation I developed asked key questions to make sure the member is following the recipe correctly, advertising their items, and their staff is knowledgeable of the 500 club. • Once the Evaluation was created I also performed an evaluation at one of the members locations.

10. Winning Weighs Program • For the winning weigh program they had me act as if I was a new R.D. that was going to teach a winning weighs class. • I went through all of the training modules and activities just as an R.D. would have. • I also observed several classes throughout the summer that the R.D.’s were teaching. • Once I had completed the training I taught a class to the R.D.’s from the winning weighs program, I chose week 2 “moving” forward. • Class 02 Moving Forward .ppt

11. Spinal Cord Injuries Presentation • For this project the in-patient R.D.’s were interested in learning more about spinal cord injuries. • I researched spinal cord injuries related to nutrition and then developed a power point. • Once this was completed I present the power point to all of the in-patient R.D.’s at their monthly meeting. • Spinal Cord Injuries.ppt

12. Test Tray & Food Safety and Sanitation Audit • Both of these audits are preformed on a monthly basis. • For the test tray audit I was given a patients meal and evaluated it, the evaluation was based on points and if they met the standard. • The food safety and sanitation audit evaluation had eight different sections and was also based on standards and the category was rewarded a certain amount of points based on that. • Unfortunately they failed both of the audits I preformed, though they were close to passing and meeting the standards.

13. Other Projects • 500 club day • 500 club recruitment • 500 club meal verification • Women’s center research • Observed Kidney failure class • Observed several clinical orbs • Observed department meetings • Participated in renal failure Webinar • Sat in on Pressure Ulcer treatment and therapy presentation. • Observed Food Service workers • Trivia with students at breakfast break • Observed Monroe on The Go (MOGO) Meeting • Lunch room remodeling

14. Conclusion • I really enjoyed both locations I worked at, Gundersen Lutheran Hospital and Westby School district. I was able to learn in both a clinical and food service setting. I was also at a location that had one R.D. and a location that had 24. I had such a great experience at both locations and learned so much that I would have not learned otherwise.

15. Advice • Start looking for locations as early as your sophomore year you may not be able to get all of your hours done in one summer or at one location. • Don’t be afraid to start contacting places early in the school year as well, the earlier you start the less stressful finding a location will be as summer gets closer. • Make a phone call, it is a lot more personal and you will get your answer right away. If they ask for further information then send an email. • Start your portfolio early, write your evaluations as soon as you finish your projects it is much easier to complete them.