Work History
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder (Clinical Dietitian - Inpatient/Outpatient/Rehab)
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center | Milwaukee, WI | August 7, 2016-present
Responsible for planning, developing and directing all nutritional care activities for assigned inpatients.
Provide outpatient counseling sessions on an individual basis.
Collaboratively work with the interdisciplinary team to ensure patient’s nutrition-related needs are met via whole, nutrient-dense diet or when alternative form of nutrition managed is deemed necessary.
Provide medical nutrition therapy and education for Veterans who have sustained a spinal cord injury participating in the SCI Inpatient Rehab Program.
Support the facility’s mission and coordinated care with other health care providers and Veterans and their families.
Successfully created and implemented an interdisciplinary program (with an OTR/L) hands-on approach to learning the power of nutrition through cooking and gardening in Veterans with SCI (SCI FRESH Cooking Program [bi-monthly] and SCI Gardening Program [bi-monthly]).
Created educational lecture for SCI/D Residents and Fellows regarding the unique nutrition needs of Veterans with SCI/D (i.e. wound healing nutrition needs, anemia/iron supplementation, alternative means of nutrition, nutrition-focused physical exam, NDD1/NDD2/NDD3 Dysphagia Diet, etc.). Additionally, presented to SCI/D Fellows on general wellness and self-care during their fellowship.
Working to implement the use of Indirect Calorimetry (MedGem) into SCI/D clinical care including writing a SCI/D Division Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and NFS Procedure.
Served as the chair/facilitator for the ‘Weight Measurement PDSA’ project workgroup; gathered preliminary data to identify needs, organized task group, and wrote/tracked progress of the PDSA project.
Successfully implemented the use of the SCI/D ECU devices for Room Service Menu viewing to increase Veteran independence and ease when placing a food order through Room Service.
Applied to the VHA Innovators Network Spark-Seed-Spread Innovation Investment Program; selected to advance to Phase 2 of Program; pitched innovation idea to Milwaukee VAMC top management.
Conducted NFS Inpatient oral nutrition supplement (ONS) monitor for FY18 Quarter 1; created documented with data and findings; presented outcomes to Clinical Practice Meeting (NFS Management and RD/DTR staff)
Revised the national SCI/D Nutrition Annual Evaluation tool (Annual Exam laboratory values); uploaded to National NFS Sharepoint Patient Education Handouts page.
Selected to present on the Clinical Nutrition Subcommittee national call (April 2019) on SCI/D FRESH and Garden Programs.
Collaborated with National SCI/D Instructional Systems Specialist (Erik Wallen) and Health System Specialist (Meaghan Park) to upload our SCI FRESH/Garden Program curriculum to the SCI Whole Health SharePoint page (“Resources for Implementing Whole Health in SCI/D”)
Participated in a 2017 PDSA project where our team implemented the SCI/D Outpatient Medical Rehab Program
Participated in the Clement J. Zablocki VA Mentorship Program (2017)
Conducted Nutrition and Food Service Patient Satisfaction surveys on the SCI/D ward
Helped to coordinate and implement the 2017 National Nutrition Month in-person cooking demonstration with Chef Justin Carlisle; served as the RD moderator/educator during event
Serve as preceptor to Mount Mary Dietetic Internship students
Coordinated an outing with the SCI/D Recreation Therapy Department to take Veterans to a local farmers market to learn more about fresh produce, sustainability, resources, etc. (2018)
Coordinated an outing with Occupational Therapy to take Veterans on a local grocery store tour to educate them on helpful, nutritious ways to grocery shop, how to read food labels, how to effectively purchase food in bulk, etc.
Serve as staff RD during SCI/D Wound Rounds with medical team
Served as RD representative during 2018 National Nutrition Month event
Committees/Workgroups: Nutrition Subcommittee (2016-2018); SCI/D Healthy Work Environment (2018-present); SCI/D Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2018-present); Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) Template Committee (2018-present); Employee Wellness Committee - SCI/D Department Leader (2018-present)
Consultant Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – Assisted Living
Crandall & Associates Consulting Dietitians [Crandall Corporate Dietitians] | Mesa, AZ | December 2018-present
Serve as sub-contractor for assisted-living facility performing audits, education and direct guidance/oversight to facility food service operations.
Consultant Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – Long Term Care/Rehab
Wisconsin & Illinois Senior Housing-Holton Manor | Elkhorn, WI | February 17, 2017-present
Responsible participating in menu planning following guidelines for facility license.
Responsible for performing initial and follow-up assessments on appropriate patients/residents and demonstrating working knowledge of illness, injuries, and disease-states when providing medical nutrition therapy.
Responsible for documenting results of patient care within established policies, procedures, and scope of practice, while maintaining consistency and accuracy in data collection and documentation.
Responsible for developing the plan of care based on patients’/residents’ psychosocial, cultural, ethnic, and religious/spiritual needs.
Chief Executive Officer/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
The Wellness Pointe LLC. | Elkhorn, WI | August 2016-present
Manage internal operations of integrative chiropractic office and procedures regarding practice member care.
Integrative Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – Private Practice
The Simple Dietitian | www.theSimpleRD.com | Elkhorn, WI | August 2016-present
Provide nutritional care via in person counseling or electronic means to help clients meet their nutrition and physical activity goals.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (Clinical Dietitian - Inpatient/Outpatient)
Aurora Medical Center | Kenosha, WI | October 19, 2015-March 30, 2016
Developed and implemented a plan of care for patients based on assessment of nutritional needs in correlation with interdisciplinary health care plans. Utilized a nutrition-focused physical exam (NFPE), clinical and laboratory data to complete assessment.
Reviewed patient’s diet order, determined clinical appropriateness and collaborated with MD concerning patient care.
Documented results of nutritional assessment, MNT recommended and initiated, plan of care, results of diet consultation, recommendations for discharge planning, and nutrition orders in medical record (EPIC) in a timely manner.
Provided nutrition education through individual and group teaching to patients/families, staff and the community.
Maintained accurate record-keeping of daily clinical activities, including information for scheduling and billing.
Education
Dietetic Internship | Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital | Hines, IL 60141 | August 2014-June 2015
Length: 41 weeks; Focus: Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT); Research: Evaluation of outcomes of the Cooking Healthy Everyday Foods (CHEF) Program; Clinical Practice: Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology, Spinal Cord Injury, Geriatrics, Surgery, Renal, Parenteral/Enteral Nutrition, Ambulatory Care, Wellness, Food Service Systems Management, Clinical Nutrition Management, Home-based Primary Care, Mental Health, Geriatrics/Hospice
Additional Graduate-level Courses | University of Illinois-Chicago | September 2014-June 2015
College of Applied Health Sciences | Chicago, IL 60612
Research on Clinical Nutrition Problems
Advanced Clinical Nutrition III
Masters of Science – Food and Nutritional Science | University of Wisconsin-Stout | GPA: 3.9 | January 2011-May 2014
College of Education, Health and Human Sciences | Menomonie, WI 54751
Bachelors of Science – Kinesiology | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Cum Laude | September 2006-December 2010
College of Education and Human Sciences | Eau Claire, WI 54703