In the hospital setting, adequate nutrition is essential for achieving a rapid recovery. Optimising nutritional status has been linked to a number of better health outcomes including:
- Decreasing the risk of malnutrition in hospitals
- Reducing the risk of infection or pressure ulcers
- Optimising wound healing
- Improving recovery after surgery
- Reducing mortality risk
Nutrition and Dietetics services provided in hospital include nutrition assessment, ordering appropriate diets and/or nutritional supplements for patients, or recommending specialised nutritional formula or intravenous feeding if patients are unable to eat normally during their treatment and recovery.
Dietitian assistants deliver menus and assist patients with menu choices as required. They work with dietitians and nursing staff to communicate with the kitchen and ensure patients receive the correct meals.
Our services also include nutrition education and follow up after discharge home. Our dietitians ensure continuity of care by reviewing patient progress via phone, outpatient appointment, or by referral to other dietitians in the community.
The dietitians at St Vincent’s provide dietetic services to all wards, as well as outpatient nutrition clinics and home visits if eligible. Cardiac Rehabilitation Group talks are also available and run weekly.
One of the most significant transitions in a graduate’s career is the move from student life into a role as a qualified health professional. The Interprofessional Graduate Program offers a structured program for allied health new graduates to explore the importance of collaborative practice, and to enhance clinicians’ skills and confidence in working in teams. The benefits of collaborative practice include the capacity to optimize team members’ strengths, share case management, reduce stress on health workers by engendering support and trust, enhance job satisfaction and provide better services to the community.
The Program is designed to complement the induction and supervision already available to new staff within each discipline and to support an interprofessional approach to graduates. It is an opportunity to welcome and induct new staff and to give them a sense of the culture and expectations of the organisation.
Nutrition Department research activities are broad and encompass projects focusing on clinical outcomes in the acute and sub acute settings through to improving the quality of life of residents at our residential care facilities.
Careers
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