By Sara Glanz, MS, RD, LD, CNSC
So, you’ve landed a new assignment as a consultant dietitian —congrats! Here’s what you need to ask so you can shine on your first day.
Before the First Day
- What’s the dress code?
- What time should I arrive?
- Where should I meet my supervisor?
- Are there any special instructions regarding parking?
On the First Day
- Where is my office or desk located? (Is this where I will be stationed?)
- How do I get to the patient units?
- What are the screening procedures? Or, how do you know which patients need to be seen?
- How soon do consults and/or nutrition risk triggers need to be completed?
- When/How soon are follow-ups scheduled?
- Do the dietitians write orders? If so, for what specifically?
- How do I contact the physicians?
- Are there patient rounds or meetings I need to attend? If so, when and where?
- Do I need to record my clinical productivity? If so, how?
- Request a copy of the enteral and parenteral formularies.
- How do I access patient education materials?
- What type of patient foodservice does the hospital have? (i.e., room service, traditional trayline, patient select menu, etc.)
- Request a copy of the patient menu and inquire about meal times.
- Take notes during your tutorial of the electronic medical record so you can work more independently in the future.
More Tips For Consultant Dietitians
Advice: Don’t Turn Down Anything!
Troubleshooting Common TPN Problems
Navigating Outpatient Reimbursement
Sara Glanz, MS, RD, LD, CNSC is a travel dietitian for Dietitians On Demand. She is passionate about empowering dietitians to be more involved with the interdisciplinary healthcare team. Her favorite adventures while on assignment include: The 17-Mile Drive in Monterey, CA; Lake Placid, NY; Montreal, Canada; and of course, the Jelly Belly® Jelly Bean and Ben & Jerry’s® ice cream factories located in Fairfield, CA and Burlington, VT, respectively.
Dietitians On Demand offers both local and travel consultant dietitian positions. Our dietitians cover a vacancy, maternity leave, vacations, FMLA or increases in census. Check out our job openings, or request your coverage today!