My day spiraled downward all afternoon 😥
I got in trouble for my blog comments about my internship experience thus far – including too much information in today’s post in particular. So I am sorry to say that I really can’t mention A SINGLE THING about my internship anymore. I know you guys are dying to know what I’m doing each day, but even mentioning things like charting – or taking a photo of my lunch while inside the hospital building – are off limits. I’m just going to have to keep up my enthusiasm while at home and continue to pack my lunches for a noontime post.
So please don’t ask me how the internship is going because I can’t respond 🙁
[Obviously info was taken down – and so were related comments. Sorry about that!]
After work I snacked on my apple + bar on my way to Emily‘s for a workout. I think I ate too much because our run was not that great!! I felt like I had a bowling ball in my upper chamber. We managed 4.33 miles, though, followed by 15 minutes of hard-core weights before we both tuckered out with exhaustion. Emily is always a ray of sunshine in my day though, so she did cheer me up 🙂
Drove all the way home and walked inside to find Matt had played chef this afternoon!! Tonight was supposed to be an “eat what you want” night. I was planning on frozen soup or leftovers. But turns out he made PIZZA! And photographed it!!
TWO pizzas!!
One had mushrooms, goat cheese, arugula and some Kerrygold Cheddar that I got with an Earthfare FREE coupon!!
The second featured tomatoes, pickled jalapenos and avocado!
Matt also made the sauce from scratch! And the dough was Great Harvest Honey Wheat. Best. Dough. Ever.
I stressed myself out and tried to get some work done before I had dinner. Matt had already eaten and had slices warming in the oven for me. Finally I plated them at 8PM and they were exactly what I needed!
3 goat cheese + 1 avocado/jalapeno
Yums! The crust was SO crispy from being in the oven so long.
Definitely need the escape of a novel tonight….
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Oh no! I am so sorry about the work stuff! I wondered if that would happen. It is so hard to separate work like, blog life and private life! I hope you have a nice read tonight. Looks like dinner was a nice surprise! Enjoy the book and sleep well!
George says
ah……their loss…..an RD for 30+ years enjoying your posts AND loving what I do every day…..!!! You go Girl1!!
emily says
Yikes, I bet the ‘bowling ball feeling’ was from stress, I hate situations like that! Hope pizza + a novel puts you in a better mind-frame. And good dreams 😀
Food Makes Fun Fuel says
Awww, I think we’ve all had trouble separating privacy and blog speak. That’s a shame you can’t talk more about it, but so long as you enjoy your time there that’s what matters!
Emily Eats and Exercises says
Too bad about the internship – especially since everything you said was so enthusiastic! I hate getting in trouble though – I’m totally a goody two shoes. 😉
The pizza looks soooo good. What a nice husband. Hope tomorrow is an improvement.
Penny (Wannabe VEGGIEtarian) says
Wait…….they forbid you to take photos of your lunch inside the hospital? I realize I shouldn’t even be saying this, but that is really extreme. That’s your personal business. Not theirs. They should not be able to restrict that.
I do understand about the charting and patient-talk. But not the photos. At all.
Sorry. That’s just my two cents.
Sorry you had to deal with that today. I bet that was very stressful.
I understand if you feel the need to delete this. 🙂
Mel | Dietriffic says
You have to see it from their POV, too. It only takes one tiny mishap to turn the whole thing into a nightmare lawsuit. The easiest way to protect themselves is to have a zero tolerance policy, I’d imagine.
Nevertheless, it is a shame. As a dietitian, I support anything which draws attention to the important work we do.
Keep up the good work, Kath.
Penny (Wannabe VEGGIEtarian) says
Truly, I really do see their POV. I understand about the Kath mentioning charting and specific patients. Hell, I even agree.
But….I see nothing wrong with her taking a photo of her lunch and blogging, all without ever having mentioned the work she did.
Food blogger discrimination. 🙂
Penny (Wannabe VEGGIEtarian) says
Ahhhh.
Just saw Kath’s comment about the ‘no camera’ policy. It wasn’t directed at her, but it’s a rule in general.
That sucks, but at least it is fair to her.
I was under the impression that they specifically told HER no camera. Which kinda ticked me off. 🙂
Mel | Dietriffic says
Ah, right.
lol @ “Food blogger discrimination” 😀
Jillianbean says
It’s just a patient confidentiality thing-I am a hospital employee/therapist, and we have forms patients have to fill out if we are photographing them, it’s all very legal, and protects privacy.
Hard to understand unless you are in the field. Just glad Kath is getting such great experiences!
Kori & Kaci says
We’re so sorry, Kath that you cannot speak about your internship anymore. 🙁 We really hope that they did not intentionally make you feel bad and dealt with it in a professional manner. On a lighter note, the pizzas look DELICIOUS! Matt to rescue again! :))) Have a great, relaxing evening.
Hannah says
I’m sorry you had to go through that – must have been uncomfortable. Don’t worry about disappointing us, though – we’re here for you, not for your work!
Enjoy your novel and (hopefully) a nice little dessert treat. You deserve it… and tomorrow is another day!
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
Awww, so sorry about that!! I’ll miss reading about your internship, but no worries! 🙂
Whitney @ Lettuce Love says
Bummer about not being able to talk about your internship anymore. I guess it does make sense since hospitals and the medical community is ultra sensitive to privacy matters. Matt was so nice to make those delicious pizza — they looks really good!
Christa says
Sorry to hear about that, Kath! I hope they didn’t make you feel too badly, especially because you had been so positive about everything. C’est la vie. Hope tomorrow is a better day!
Jennifer says
Aww. That is too bad. I am so sorry you got in trouble. 🙁 I wondered about if that may happen. Some places are very strict. Happy to see that you had supper done for you! I wish my husband could cook. Lucky! Hope your day is MUCH better tomorrow. Give yourself a break. You’re still super awesome! :O)
Melissa says
No worries about not being able to share anymore! I plan on remaining a reader long into your career and I’m excited to see where your own work takes you! I’m sure you handled today perfectly, but I’m sorry you got in trouble. Hope you’re enjoying a good book right now. Oh and that pizza looks delic! In fact, Matt has been on quite a roll with his cooking recently! You two make a great pair 🙂
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
Boo sorry for the bummy afternoon. Cheer up though. It was an innocent mistake (not that you knew it was even a ‘mistake’). I have good news for you though–your AllieBars are on their way!!
(did it turn your frown upside down??)
Kath says
Very much!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
Wow, I suppose I understand their need for privacy, but I do believe this is taking it a bit far. I know I’m simply intrigued in hearing what you do each day to get a feel for what a dietician’s work really is like. Hope it didn’t cause you too much stress Kath!
Hannnah says
People’s privacy should be respected. You were blogging about real people and their health matters, in a hospital. They should be sensitive! If i was a family member of that malnourished man, and I saw you gave out a BMI and other information, I’d be very upset.
Kath says
It actually wasn’t all real – I changed some things – but I suppose you all did not know that so it might as well have been real.
emily says
I’m sorry, I really don’t want to cause an issue, I’m genuinely curious – You would be very upset if you read that a blog shared a family member’s BMI? Can someone explain the rationale behind this to me?
Mary Frances says
Everyone I have spoken with who are in the medical field (including higher ups who engage in discussion about patients themselves) have indicated that as long as the patient is not identified, etc., it is perfectly fine (and sometimes encouraged) to discuss conditions, procedures, situations, etc. This is how one learns. I saw the blog before it was shut down… it seemed a lot more generalized than some discussions I have overheard doctors conferring with one another in a public place. Kath’s blog may have actually inspired people to enter into this field. It is a shame that some people find it necessary to shake things up. We will all miss hearing about your excitement for your day-to-day adventures! No worries…just continue to enjoy yourself. That aside, it puzzles me that even a simple photograph of a lunch could possibly jeopardize the life, health or well being of a patient. I suppose life would not be interesting if everyone were the same. Hey Kath, if there is a celebratory party at the end of your clinical rotation and they say it would be OK to photograph ‘the spread’, it might be wise to get that ‘permission slip’ in writing.
Mary Frances says
…Oh, I wonder if ‘the hospital’ were able to preview (say a weekly recap of your rotation experience) before it was posted, they would reconsider their stance.
Sarah @ THE FOODIE DIARIES says
oooomg that first pizza! might convert me 🙂
sorry about the internship blunder… getting in trouble for something that was done so innocently is always a bummer 🙁
Colleen says
I’m sorry to hear about the blog issues 🙁 I hope you have a better day tomorrow 🙂
kate says
It really is a shame….it is a loss for our profession. You did a fabulous job keeping the pt info confidential, yet you exposed the important role RDs play in healthcare. Dietitians need more acknowledgment and it is to bad you are forced to keep quiet.
jessica says
I agree! Got in trouble with whom. You did not breech any privacy policy or confidentiality agreement i have ever signed and i am in the health care field. I so did enjoy hearing exactly what a dietitian does in the hospital setting dies, cause it was a mystery to me. so sad.
kathy says
agree!
Stacey@http://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ says
That’s sad. You do a great job so don’t let the rules and regulations get you down. It’s all a bunch of nonsense. Everyone is so worried all the time about being sued.
I loved your little pizza’s. I wish my GH would sell me some WW dough, but they said no. So I will just have to use Trader Joe’s dough or make my own, or use Matt’s recipe.
Lisa @bakebikeblog says
Hope pizza + novel cheered you up a bit 🙂 That pizza DID look awesome 🙂 Yay for husbands who cook!
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
Bummer you got in trouble… 🙁
Its because of the privacy policy… that’s all.
We all understand 🙂
That’s great that Matt surprised you with pizza!
Jenny says
That’s very “kell on earth”- jobs are not fans of Twitter/blogs unless used for networking or fundraising:( the times
are changing!
Lauren @ eater not a runner says
Sorry to hear about the bad day! Pizza makes everything better though 🙂
M says
Ugh, it must have been so horrible to have been reprimanded. I’m such a nonconfrontational baby that i’d have pouted and refused to post for a week.
I do agree, though, that you should err on the side of overprotecting the patients’ privacy. It’s absolutely fair for the hospital to forbid anyone from disclosing any details. HIPAA is serious business.
Whitney says
I agree! I audit hospitals and HIPPA is reinforced daily!
Sarah R says
Oh Kath!! I’m sorry you got in trouble for the blog. I was enjoying so much learning along with you. We totally understand and will read no matter what.
Aren’t husband’s the best? They just know what we need.
Jessie says
I am so sorry that you had a hard day. What you said seemed so harmless! I can’t believe you got in trouble.
Jil says
Aww, I’m sorry. That pizza looks amazing – yay for the hubs! 🙂
Erin (Travel, Eat, Repeat) says
Aw man, sorry you had such a crummy day. It sounds like things definitely improved once you got home. What a great husband!
Alicia says
Hey Kath,
Transitioning from school to work is rocky for everyone, and the life of a blogger is still very much uncharted territory.
Chalk your mistake up to inexperience and miscalculation and don’t beat yourself up for it. Learn and err on the cautious side in the future and you’ll be better for it.
You’re going to be a great RD. 🙂
Angela (Oh She Glows) says
I don’t understand why you couldn’t photograph your lunch. That is your own free time and it’s not like you are showing patients or private documents in the background…
I understand they don’t want you talking about what goes on, but the lunch thing I just don’t get.
Sorry that you are so restricted. That would take the fun out of sharing your excitement and enthusiasm. You do do a wonderful job of blogging your lunch photos from the morning though, if that makes you feel any better! 😉
I think it was one of those days…myself, Eric, and a bunch of my family all had horrible days today. Tomrrow is a new one!
Amelia says
I can so empathize with the feeling of getting reprimanded at work- it’s awful. But, as someone above me said, we’re here for YOU so don’t worry about not getting to write about your internship. The hospital is lucky to have you.
BethT says
Many hospitals don’t allow photography or cell phone use inside because someone could conceivably record or photograph sensitive information. The medical center I visit is quite strict about this to protect patient privacy. It’s odd to think that someone might capture sensitive information in a hospital cafeteria or common area, but they do all they can to protect patient rights.
Lauren says
Can you maybe have Matt teach Will some of his mad cooking skills??? Seriously pizza is my fav food right behind pasta, I would have been on cloud nine!
Sorry your day was rough 🙁 Tomorrow is a new day and it’s almost TGIF!
Mara @ What's for Dinner? says
I guess hospitals have to really cover their bootys when it comes to confidentiality with all that HIPAA stuff! Bummer though, that stuff was interesting! Love the pizza 🙂
Marisa (Loser for Life) says
That is sucky, Kath! You are such a professional and I could always hear the smile in your “blog voice” when talking about your day. It’s nice to see that you have such passion about your new career. Sorry that put a damper on your day 🙁
Emily @ The Front Burner Blog says
🙂 🙂 🙂
pizza looked delicious!!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
Sorry about the day, girl. My work does not know about the blog and I’m sure I would be in the same situation!
Betsy says
Aw Kath, I’m sorry about the work thing! I hate the feeling you get when you make a mistake at work even though you’re trying so hard to do everything right. I hope they didn’t make you feel awful about it and understood that you clearly didn’t know! It’s upsetting, too, because I was interested in your internship and loved the updates! Good luck with the rest of your internship from here on out!
Chris says
I got in plenty trouble early in my career (I’m old ;-), and those times were when I learned the most. Those were also the times when I was taking the biggest risks and making the biggest career advances. Hang in there, Kath…you are going great! Having said that, a big part of the problem in today’s health care system is lack of transparency. Allowing you to share non-HIPPA violating information on your blog should be high up on the criteria list for your next internship/job!
Laura says
You poor thing, its sucks to get in trouble at work, especially if you are anything like me and spend the next few days beating yourself up about it. Those yummy pizzas look like the ultimate cheer up food though, and having them already lovingly cooked for you when you get home, even better 🙂
Mastering Public Health says
Hate that guilty/embarrassed “got in trouble” feeling. Sorry that happened. But it’s really no different than if you just told each one of us privately — unless there are inherent confidentiality rules at play here!
ri'chele says
So sorry about the forbidden subject. We all love how generous and enthusiastic you are, we truly understand. Great you have positive, loving friends and an in house pizza chef, and loyal readers. Keep up the good work, as other readers have said they are fortunate to have such a sharp, talented worker.
Betsy says
Ahem, if you don’t have anything nice to say, please don’t say anything at all.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says
LOL at the reader above pretending not to care about what you do all day, but certainly taking the time to leave a comment to that effect. Some people try too hard to be evil, and don’t even realize how transparent it is.
Kath, just wanted to pop in and say I had the exact same sort of feeling today in a different situation — sort of guilty, embarrassed, and just plain bummed out. I’m so sorry for the downer. Hope tomorrow’s better for both of us!
Jessica says
I was bummed to hear that you got in trouble!! I didn’t think you were violating any HIPAA or privacy regulations. I work in healthcare too and learned that some people at my company monitor blogs for buzzwords that may relate to our company, practice, or industry. I was able to edit my blog before I got caught – glad that I did!
Thanks for sharing your less-than-perfect day. I hope tomorrow is better.
Sarah @ Daily Nibbles says
Sorry to hear about your day:( On a lighter note, what are you reading? What are your favorite escape novels?
Angela says
I love your blog, and I have to let you know that because of your recent enthusiasm (on top of some other things) I have personally considered going back to school for nutrition. I work somewhere where HIPPA is a HUGE deal too, and it can definitely feel like you’re walking on eggshells and at times or like people are nit-picky with silly things. I hate it. All we can do is cover ourselves to make sure we don’t get in trouble. Even though it sucks that you got talked to about all your internship stuff on here, go to bed tonight knowing that even though you had a bad day, you still inspired people through what you put on here about it. Be proud of yourself and move forward 🙂 I hope tomorrow is better for you!
jess says
Love your blog but gotta agree that you were beginning to speak so excitedly about serious health issues that those patients are dealing with and it was beginning to seem insensitive. part of being a good health care professional is developing an empathic connection with patients and not just viewing them as some curiosity or fascinating learning experience. i’m sorry if you are feeling bad about the experience but it seems like a much needed lesson.
Laura says
Although I have no way of knowing in real life, Kath comes across as one of THE most empathetic healthcare professionals to be- much moreso than a lot of the dieticians/pharmacists and doctors I have encountered as a patient and fellow HCP. I’m probably being presumptuous here, but I think Kath set up this blog, at least in part to help and provide constructive support to people who were looking to make healthy changes in her life- so the fact that she has a blog isn’t for selfish reasons, rather she is being giving. I think Kath spoke a great deal more respectfully about the conditions she was talking about than most of my fellow medical students/doctors- who sometimes say things that make me cringe+wonder why I chose to go into this field. Sorry for the essay, I just don’t believe in kicking a horse (sorry Kath- you aren’t a horse really!), when it is already down 😉
Anne says
I have to agree with jess, me to I was feeling kind of uncomfortable to read all these “details”, I prefer when you talk about food / exercise / travel / restaurant … Sometimes I’m eating when I read the blog, so to read about “tube feeding”… But thanks for your blog and your good work here 😉 (sorry for my bad english)
Kim says
Mmmm yummy goat cheese!, pizzas look great! GO MATT!!!
If you can find it, try Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy cheese, OMG it is so good! My favorite is their Haystack Mountain Chèvre en Marinade. I could eat it by the spoonful! 🙂
http://www.haystackgoatcheese.com/cheese.htm
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
nothing relieves stress like pizza….and ice crream….
Cassie @ A Very Busy Mind says
Ugh. Getting in “trouble” seriously blows…especially when you didn’t even know you were doing anything that could get you in trouble in the first place! Plus, it sucks that you can’t share such a big part of your day/life with your readers.
Aw well. Now you know.
And that pizza had to cheer you up…at least a little. 😉
Kim says
I enjoyed reading about your experiences while training to become a RD and also as an intern. I even looked up information about becoming a RD here in Colorado. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Each post I have read about your internship has been educational and professional. You were sensitive to your patients and to your co-workers. Being a good RD means educating and informing people and that is what you did.
Please do not feel bad, I know it can be hard. You did a great job educating and informing us. Thank you!
hemp jogger says
dinner looks AMAZING! it mustve been a wonderful surprise to you…gotta love your hubs! at least you always have him to cheer you up 🙂
and really sorry to hear about all the internship stuff. it was really neat to read, but obvs we understand. just wanted to say i feel bad, and hope tomorrow is better for you!
Lorin says
Aw man that’s a bummer. I want to be a dietician so it was cool to see what you were doing. I know it’s not your fault, but I still wish they would let you say some things, not anything specific but oh well. I hope you still have fun with your internship or are you even allowed to say your enjoying it?
Layla says
I found your RD posts very insightful! I had no idea what RD’s do prior to reading your blog and I personally did not feel that you were insensitive nor disrespectful. No one could have guessed who that one malnourished patient may have been from what your wrote, but I suppose privacy is privacy. Still. I just wanted to say that I appreciated your posts and will continue to read your blog. Hopefully one day, you can shed more light on what an RD does.
Christina says
Sorry about the internship troubles 🙁 Totally understand that you can’t talk about it. That’s okay, reading about your delicious pizza is good enough for me!
Rebeca says
So sorry you had such a rough day but there’s always something to be thankful for- the fact that your husband is wonderful, that you have great friends to spend time with, that your future as an R.D. won’t be as restrictive so that you CAN share the way you want/desire to.
I think that bad days/moments/etc. are wonderful. Why? Well, the bad moments, the ones that make us feel torn down and sad, make the good moments great and the great ones priceless. They help us appreciate what is wonderful in our lives.
Jess @ MTL Veggie says
Sorry to hear you got in trouble -that’s never fun! But pizza (especially the homemade kind) is always a sure- fire pick-me-upper, those pics look absolutely delicious! I hope you feel better tomorrow and are able to bounce back to 100%. Keep your chin up and don’t work too hard 🙂
Danielle (Coffee Run) says
I’m sorry you got in trouble Kath 🙁 I enjoyed reading about your experiences but do what you gotta do!
Charlie Hills says
I was in the kitchen doing dishes and thought, “Do I smell pizza?” And sure enough, here it was.
Julie says
Sorry about your bad day! I’m paranoid about mentioning work on my blog because I fear that exact situation. I’ll say “then I worked all afternoon” and leave it at that. It’s a tricky situation. I suppose the HIPPA laws have something to do with it. Cheer up! Tomorrow’s a new day.
Lisa says
🙁 Sorry you got in trouble. What sticklers! But I sort of understand that; I work in a very sensitive job and I am SUPER cautious about ever mentioning work stuff. Tomorrow will be better for you! 🙂
Laura says
You gotta do what you gotta do right?! Rules are silly sometimes, but HIPPA is some serious stuff!!
Lindsay says
I am so sorry to hear about that… I hope that you werent too upset about it!! I am sure that if I was one of your patients, I wouldnt want my info all over the internet!! But I will keep coming back for your good recipes and weekend adventures!! 🙂
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
Sorry you had a bad day and that you got reprimanded. But live and learn.
Hope the book helped you relax.
Claire says
I must say that I find the restriction on what you can say a bit ridiculous. You have not broken ANY HIPAA regulations in any of your posts. I guess, maybe, your program has some different rules. Sorry you’re not going to be able to share anything about it. Why not pictures of food if that’s all that’s shown? Hope you still enjoy it. Maybe you’ll be able to give a general summary at the end of the internship (I was looking forward to seeing what you thought about peds!).
Jessica @ The Process of Healing says
So sorry about your troubles 🙁
That pizza looks incredible though!
Midgetkeeper says
Sorry about your day. I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow!
Wendy says
That’s a huge bummer, because you’ve written such enthusiastic posts about the work you’re doing. I hope that sucky got-in-trouble feeling doesn’t dampen your enthusiasm for the work you’re doing in the hospital – you seem to enjoy it SO much!
One reason I’ve been very hesitant to start a blog of my own is b/c I’ll be starting a job teaching high school soon. I know the privacy issues are MUCH more strict in the medical field, but I’d be afraid of the same thing with education. Or maybe it’s the reverse – I want to protect MY privacy from the students & parents. It’s easy to say too much on the internet. It feels so anonymous, even though it really isn’t!
Hope you have a cheerier day tomorrow!
lindsay says
I thought your posts that mentioned detailed patient info might end soon. It’s probably good they stepped in when they did. Also, not sure if it was just me, but it seemed like you were bragging about being in the “medical profession” and throwing around medical terms like you were a doctor. I like your blog but it was starting to get on my nerves …
Damaris says
Registered Dietitians are health professionals, so of course a lot of their work is pretty medical. If I was in the hospital and my RD used medical jargon I would be comforted – clearly they are well-educated and know what they’re doing. And I think the “bragging” you referred to is actually enthusiasm, which I’m very glad Kath has for her job. In any case, after all the work she’s put in to get to this point I think she’d be entitled to do a bit of bragging if she so wished.
Laura says
RDs are part of the Medical team- there is no silly hierarchical system anymore- when all the different healthcare professionals meet to discuss patients- e.g. in multidisciplinary meetings- they are on a level playing ground. If you actually worked in a hospital, you would see that every different profession has a key role, from the cleaners who keep the surroundings aseptic and patients supplied with much needed water, to the auxillary nurses who help those who can’t eat to have meal and keep themselves clean, with dignity. A lot of the patients at some point would have their recovery at least compromised – at best- if they didn’t have the input of an RD. Doctors aren’t taught how to compose a high protein/lactose free diet, or a tube feed, so we’d be stuck w/out enthusiastic RDs who actually want to be there- so Kath and her colleagues are right to consider themselves as part of a medical team.
Kath says
Like the others said, we are part of the medical team and use medical terms all day long. Sorry you felt it was annoying.
Rachel says
Kath,
I’m sure you realize this, but excitement about anything technical/academic/intellectual is going to come off as bragging to people who feel threatened by what they don’t understand. I say this only because Lindsay’s comment reminded me of cutting remarks I received from other kids when I was young, and I wish I could tell my younger self not to take it personally. I can’t, so I’m telling you.
Thanks for all you do.
Tara says
Kath hardly mentioned “detailed patient info” at all. She gave no patient identifiers and as she stated in a comment above, even changed the info just a bit to further cover herself. We RDs are in the medical profession, so it makes sense that we would enjoy talking about medical terms. It’s just one more reason that makes us more qualified as nutrition experts than some “nutritionists” who are not clinically trained.
nicole says
As others have said, RDs are certainly an integral part of the healthcare team. Doctors do not learn how properly to nourish our patients, there simply isn’t time. If we needed to learn that too, we’d be in school for probably 7-8 years. From something even as simple as a safety or efficiency perspective, it is so important to have someone around who dedicates his or her professional life to making sure patients are receiving the nutrients they need for their personal circumstances. Hospitalist RDs, really all RDs for that matter are certainly in the medical profession. You don’t need to be able to perform a Whipple procedure to be a medical professional.
Liz says
Sorry to hear that Kath, like others said, it does sound a bit extreme based on what I read on your lunch time post.
Anyhow, I was having one of “those days” today tooo, getting in trouble at work for a silly thing, IMO. It definitely happens to all of us. Good luch with the internship.
kathy says
Hey-sorry about your day, privacy rules are always iffy, better safe than sorry, but seems a little strict (speaking from someone who’s worked in a hospital setting for 10 years;) ! Good luck with the TPN-was always one of my favorite parts of the job! & loved your thoughts on the malnutrition, surprisingly more common than most think-but sadly depending where you work can see in many different sub groups.
marie d says
oh HIPPA, it’s a pain but it’s there for a reason. still a bummer!
Michele | aka Raw Juice Girl says
WOW.
So sorry, Kath. Don’t worry, we still love you!!!!
((((BIG HUGS))))
Megan says
Really??? Are they that serious? That seems absolutely absurd. Is no one supposed to ask about the internship? What if your family and friends wan to know how it’s going? I am really sorry you can’t share a few details about your internship. I think it’s crazy they forbid you from talking about the internship. I see no way that you are violating laws in regards to patient privacy. That has to be a huge bummer. I am really sorry your preceptors are cracking down on you like that.
Carly @ The Road To Health says
Sorry to hear you got in trouble Kath! On the bright side, your husband Matt sounds like such a sweet guy! That pizza looks amazing!
brianna says
i just wanted you to know that as a student on my way to becoming an RD i truly appreciated learning more about the internship experience. your enthusiasm and descriptions of the work made me even more excited about my future career! so thank you for the information while it lasted!
Emily says
Sorry to hear that you can’t post about your internship anymore. Is it just things pertaining to the hospital or everything that has to do with the internship in general? The only time I took photos while at the hospital was when I was working in foodservice, and my preceptor wanted photos of the foods the chef prepared. I’ll be super careful from now on about what I mention in my blog r/t the clinical side of things…thanks for the heads up!
Hope your day goes better tomorrow!
Jillian says
Yeah, Kath, JEEZ- and all your bragging about your AWESOME OATMEAL! With all those cute bowls and spoons! (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself 🙂
You’re like a ray of sunshine- so enthusiastic about so many things, and obviously such a well-meaning person. I’m a total stranger, but I just wanted to say that- I have no doubt that your husband, friends, family and the people you work with are all blessed to have you in their lives.
sassy molassy says
Hang in there. Don’t let the work related posting thing get to you. I felt like your references were very vague, personally. Just move on from here. That pizza looks awesome (and perfectly round)!
Ashley says
Take a picture of your lunch in the car if need be. They can’t dictate what you do while in your own personal property.
I’m interested in being an RD and absolutely loved reading about your experiences
I don’t understand the mentality behind their rules. This will turn people off from the field if they can’t get a glimpse of the experience through someone else’s eyes.
Veronica says
My hubs (whom is a kerf fan too!) told me to get on here and help you feel better. Kath, we still love you and the blog! The internship will be over soon…and you’ll be starting a fresh life with the bakery. Hope you have a better day tommorow : )
Ashley says
I hate when things happen like that. How would you have known though? Maybe I understand specifics about patients, but I don’t understand the harm in discussing your internship. Most of the information you talked about I have heard about before in classes I have taken at university….no SHOCKING or NEW news today, just entertaining and interesting.
I love your blog and think it makes a significant difference in people’s life, been following it FOREVER……geez crazy people : ) Before you know it, it will be the weekend and you can unwind : )
Yourkindofsalad says
Awww, Kath – that’s lousy! But no worries; we’ll just know that you’re learning lots and having a blast!
Sending oatmeal-covered good vibes your way!
SallyH @ accountablelife.wordpress.com says
Ah, Kath! I’m not good at handling getting into trouble; it always hurts even when I know intellectually that I couldn’t have known any differently and that a reminder of someone else’s rules doesn’t reflect poorly on me. Your positive nature will pull you through this in a jiffy. And because your blog is so great to read and we’ll all keep coming back. Hope tomorrow is a much better day.
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
oh, bummer! totally understand though…just keep up the great work, we’re all cheering you on anyway 🙂
Diana says
So sorry you got into trouble! As curious as people are, it’s not worth it getting in trouble for. 🙂
That said… that pizza looks AWESOME! 🙂
Michelle @ Give Me the Almond Butter says
I’m so sorry about getting in trouble! That’s no fun at all 🙁
I get really bad stomachaches and pains when I’m stressed which also doesn’t help the fact that I run when I’m stressed. We are all just giant stressballs :p
Julia (Taste of Living) says
It’s a shame and I really don’t think you did anything wrong…
Luckily you came home to such a fantstic pizza to cheer you up a bit:)
xxx Julia (Taste of Living)
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs says
Oh dear, sorry you got in trouble! That’s a shame we can’t hear about it anymore but I suppose it makes sense 🙁
Love the look the the goat’s cheese pizza!!
Have a good day Kath!
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] says
Pretty pleaseee tell me the GH down the street will have that dough for sale?!? It looks perfecto!
Kath says
You can always ask! They should have the dough
Jenn (www. j3nn.net ) says
Geez, being a professional is like walking on eggshells sometimes. I know of a lot of jobs that don’t even allow people to have a personal Facebook, MySpace or Twitter. A lot of establishments are very strict (and often paranoid) about what gets out. Can’t blame them, so many frivolous lawsuits, you never know what’s going to trigger someone being hypersensitive. Sigh.
I don’t get the lunch photos, but again, they probably don’t want the risk of giving someone an inch and they take a mile. Not that you would. 🙂 But some people might get too carried away and they can’t make exceptions for the ones that won’t. Ah well!
Those pizzas look divine. I find that pizza makes everything better!!!! I had a crappy day, too, if it makes you feel better. hehe
Jenn
Laura says
Echo what someone else said above- like a ray of sunshine 😉 And I love how grounded you seem to be! Sorry for all my essay comments above, I guess I feel strongly about it. And thank you for the further reminder of why I just can’t blog myself… I was beginning to wonder if I could get away with it… not if I don’t want to get struck off I don’t 😉 I hate, hate being ‘told off’- especially when I’m trying my best, and did it with good intentions. I hope it wasn’t too painful, and everything smooooths out for you today
Sabina says
Sorry about that, kath! Determining what to post about oneself is a delicate balance and employers can be sensitive, especially in the health care field. Don’t let this get ya down and chalk it up to a lesson learned (I didn’t read the deleted entry). I hope that the discussion was a constructive, professional one. Best of luck with this rotation and no worries about not being able to share your experience on it. 🙂
Christie {Honoring Health} says
I am just catching up on my blog reading so I didn’t catch the lunch post from yesterday but I am sorry you got in trouble at work. I can understand to a certain degree but I really don’t understand about the photos of your lunch thing. That seems a bit too extreme since it has absolutely nothing to do with patients.
Liz, RD says
It’s interesting that they would have concerns about privacy given that you didn’t share any names or patient identifiers…I can understand the no pictures on hospital grounds thing. Sorry about that! I have been really enjoying reliving my internship through you! I had never expected to like clinical nutrition but found in my clinical rotations most interesting and like you love being part of a medical team-and still do. Good luck!
Kath says
I just want to clarify: it was not the hospital that I got in trouble with, it was my internship program. Perhaps they are a little overprotective, but probably not without a good reason. I understand their rationale. “No cameras” seems like a better policy than “cameras only allowed at lunch time when photographing your own food.” Similarly, while I felt my posts about the internship were very vague and general, everything in life is subjective so better to just forbid it than let us use our discretion.
Liz, RD says
Yes, it makes sense! I can understand your internship also not wanting to make waves at the hospital. Anyway, just forgot about this and enjoy your internship! You seem to have an awesome attitude about it.
Rachel says
I am so, so sorry you had to go through that yesterday. I hate to get in trouble and I end up dwelling on it for days. I hope you can quickly let it go. It isn’t a reflection on you or your skills. I hope that you had a peaceful night and have a much, much better day today.
andi says
i work in the medical field and while it’s a bummer to get reprimanded when you have the best of intentions, i think that the field is trying to navigate relatively new waters of social networking and interactive web sources. and that’s tricky with HIPAA and patient sensitivity. i’m sure that you can cover generalities of what you are learning, or talk about RDs working in very clinical settings and what they would experience, but i can understand how specifically mentioning any patient situation would be controversial. there’s plenty of work to be done in the medical field to emphasize patient privacy, so kudos to you for learning from people who care about it!
Therese says
🙁 Sorry to hear you had a bad day. But also glad you had wonderful people to help cheer you up! I’m sure today will be an AWESOME day! 😀
Heather says
Kath- I’m sorry about the work stuff. It has been a stressful week for a lot of us. I hope your week gets better! I hope you have a fantastic day today!
Callie @ OneLittleOnigiri says
Oh no, I’m sorry you got in trouble with your internship program 🙁 I thought your posts were very general and didn’t give anything confidential away, but I understand that you have to respect their wishes on privacy. I hope you don’t lose any enthusiasm for the job, and that your night got better with the novel!
Jess says
As another dietetic student, I get frustrated sometimes that I have to keep the day’s comings and goings to myself. Sometimes an experience with a patient or something you learn on a given day really resonates with you and you wish you could share it! It’s been one of those weeks for me, for sure…
I’m always happy to see other dietetic students’ blogs and see all the cool stuff they’re doing—and cooking! Thanks for always posting such beautiful, creative dishes.
Christine says
Boooo to a bad day…everyone has to be careful with anything posted on the internet. One nurse I know posted a facebook status stating she had a tough day with her patients family (no mention of names, patients condition, ect)…well the family somehow saw this post and she was fired, eek!
On a good note, I finally tried CHIA SEEDS and LOVE THEM!!! I want to put them on everything, LOL. I was suprised though to see that there was fat and calories in them, are they considered like a nut?
I also want to say you are such an inspiration…seeing how you eat has opened my eyes to so many new and healthy food options! Keep up the great work!
phoebe says
LOL -“cameras only allowed at lunch time when photographing your own food.” – I’m imagining this as a sign up in the lunchroom.
Congrats on handling this with professionalism and grace.
Ariel says
I am sorry to hear that you got in trouble for writing about your internship! I love your enthusiasm and I found those posts quite inspiring. From the comments on this post, it is clear that many people feel the same way, so I hope that you take comfort in knowing that you have our support. You should be very proud of your accomplishments!
Lori says
Pizza looks delish. Sorry about the problem with the internship program. I always wondered exactly what an RD does. It would seem as long as no names were mentioned it wouldn’t matter. Everything you said was generalized. I will miss hearing what you did:( It might have made someone else want to choose that as a career. Oh, well, their loss. Hope you enjoy the rest of it.
Jo says
I just wanted to tell you how much I always enjoy everything that you post on your blog. You have inspired me to eat better by showing how gorgeous healthy food can be. I agree with all of the comments about you being an empathetic person…and I loved getting an insight into what your days of internship were like! It is unfortunate that you are no longer allowed to share some of this information with us:( You are a very talented and have an unique ability to share your life in a way that inspires people to be more healthy. Thanks Kath!
Susan says
Totally agree with Betsy….
Kath, thank you for your efforts to share your medical expertise with all of us, your devoted KERF readers trust your judgment and look forward to sharing whatever experiences you can and do share!! You are such an inspiration for the better REAL food choices our family is making now!
Sorry your day ended roughly yesterday, today will be better fer sher!
Lisa says
Kath, I love your blog–you are an inspiration for me and have a way of making healthy eating and living look exciting and fun–kudos to you! I am sorry you got in a little trouble over the blog-internship crossover, but I am even more sorry for some of the comments on here. Really, people??? I work in the pharmaceutical industry and I am not a clinical staff member, but my daily duties–and post-work conversations about it–often include medical jargon. It is par for the course when you are surrounded by it daily. Also, to the Negative Nellies out there–it is HIPAA not HIPPA, okay??? Know the laws you are so worried about protecting. Thanks 🙂
Carolyn @ lovinlosing says
I’m so sorry you got in trouble. I work in a situation where it’s best if I keep the specifics of my job as vague as possible and sometimes I feel even saying “I can’t say anything” says too much. I hope you have a better day today. 🙂
Colorhungry says
I hope that you were able to head into work today with your head held high and the stress of yesterday melted away by that wonderful husband of yours! Enjoy your time at your internship- you have a lot of support here!
Rose-Anne says
I’m bummed for you and for us! I was having fun geeking out with you about your new experiences, so it’s sad to see you silenced. I had two thoughts about it: 1) I suppose sometimes we don’t know where the line is before we cross it and 2) hopefully your internship program did this to protect you. I am sure they want to see you succeed, even if it means asking you to sacrifice some of your public enthusiasm.
Wishing you well for the rest of your time at the hospital!
Janice down the veggie road says
I also wk in the medical field doing occupatinal therapy in skilled nursing centers and sometimes it isn’t JUST the HIPPA laws but also the individual companys rules and allowances on those matters – which as I read your clarificaton on the internship grp it made sense – you know they prob feel like it would be fine but if they bend here and there on the privacy interpretations then it starts creating too much grey areas on the matter— but your blog writing was interesting on the matter from another field standpoint – our pts have freq MBS swallow studies for feeding issues with our speech therapists 😉
blessings on each new day and experience ahead!!! 😉
Janice down the veggie road says
Okay I don’t think Betsy’s comment was related to mine right? Cuz I was nice 😉
I did misspell Hipaa and occupational only due to this crazy iPhone keypad – sorry (clarifying as I saw someone corrected the last person that misspelled it???). Really people should chill!!!
Anyway happy eating, blogging, working, learning and LIVING Every-body!!!! 😉
Sarah (OC2Seattle) says
Yeah for Matt! That must have really helped turn around your day.
Tara @ Food for Fuel says
Sorry to hear about the work/blog drama! I run into the same problem—I work at a hospital and there are so many times I want to blog about what I do, what happens, the families I take care of, but it’s so easy to violate HIPAA, so I just keep it plain and simple and say “Work was busy today.”
That pizza looks amazing! Everytime I see the bread on your blog, it makes me want to run over to our local Great Harvest Co. and pick some up! My favorite bread that they have is the “Cinnamon Chip Bread.” I loooove making grilled Almond Butter and jelly sandwiches on it!
Tammy @ Defining Wellness says
Tough days like that can really be a downer, especially when you believe in what you’re doing. I’m so sorry you got in trouble — that must’ve been an awful feeling. Keep your chin up and know your readers are behind you all the way. 🙂
MelanieF says
You’re a true inspiration Kath! Keep up the good work!
Kelly says
Kath,
If we have experienced life we have experienced what you did in this situation. I’m much older, but have enjoyed your blogs for your enthusiasm and to learn about new healthy foods. I’ve even tried a few new things. It is obvious from the comments many others enjoy the freshness and joy of living you put into your blog. I am sure there are many times when you are tired or busy you would just rather do something else, but thank you for being a professional and continuing with what you have said you would do, day in and day out. I think your professionalism has also shown itself in your replies to the comments above. As another above said this experience will help you in many ways in the future. Someday, you may be in a position to ask an intern or employee to do something they might not initially agree with and will have this experience to guide you in handling the situation. Best to you.
Emily says
I am surprised you didn’t realize that discussing ANYTHING about hospital work is a bad idea. As a hospital employee, it is constantly reviewed that we should never talk about pt care outside of the medical team. Good lesson for the future!