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Medicine Hat Ab

For a new graduate, looking for work as a dietitian is a stimulating experience. There are, of course, always concerns - about interviews, number of hours, location, and so on. An element of exhilaration is also present, when the new graduate considers the wide range of career options available for dietitians - clinical, administrative, marketing, research, health promotion... it all seems so exciting!

I remember these feelings well, mainly because I recently went through this stage myself. I have been in my first job as a Registered Dietitian for just over five months. It is full-time work, at several long-term care facilities, as well as some home care. The interesting part, and the reason I write, is not so much the job itself, but how it came to be.

In Alberta, many long-term care facilities do not have a dietitian providing regular service. My internship coordinator contacted me in November 2004 about the possibility of doing a presentation for some of the facility managers in Medicine Hat, with the intention of generating interest in setting up a dietitian position among them. Because this sounded like a good opportunity, I devoted the following few weeks to gathering information and preparing PowerPoint slides. I delivered the presentation in early December at a regular committee meeting attended by managers of most of the facilities I was targeting. The outcome was more successful than we had imagined. Four of the facilities decided to join forces and contract my services as a clinical dietitian. Feedback from the long-term care facility managers I had presented to indicated they all felt strongly that for long-term care, this is "the way of the future", and were positively influenced by a health care professional showing initiative. It is likely that many dietitians have taken similarly creative approaches to finding employment. I am by no means an expert in this area, but for those thinking of marketing themselves to an organization, I will highlight components that may have contributed to success in our initiative:

Pay close attention to messaging:

Care was taken to ensure that the overall tone of the presentation was positive, and that sensitive issues were discussed tactfully. For example, although undernourishment is common among long-term care residents, it frequently occurs before they move to the facility. This fact was emphasized at the outset of the presentation's discussion of undernutrition.

Tailor the proposal to the audience:

In this situation, we were already aware that the facilities were interested in the services of a dietitian, but each separately could not provide enough hours to successfully recruit one. The proposal was geared towards offering a solution to this need. As well, the presentation gave "case studies" of situations very common to nursing homes, such as wound care and tube feeding, showing how a dietitian would be an asset for preventing management and care crises. This was quite an effective tool, as the managers seemed to relate well to the cases.

Use other dietitians as resources:

Credit must be given to all the other dietitians who provided guidance as I prepared to present. I received many helpful e-mails with messages of encouragement, wisdom, tips, and informative attachments. In addition to dietitians I knew as friends, or through internship, the network groups and member listings from Dietitians of Canada were key sources of contacts.

My job is a work in progress. Prioritizing and managing responsibilities while splitting time between several different contractors is a challenge. Overall, however, things are going well; I have an enjoyable job where I feel I am making a difference. This outcome would not have been a reality without the collaborative efforts of committed dietitians sharing their creativity and wisdom with a keen entry level dietitian. I hope I have provided encouragement and inspiration for readers who have been pondering similar undertakings.

Contact Information:

Nathan Doerksen, BSc, MBT, RD

Medicine Hat, AB

ndoerksen@gss.org

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