renal dietetics
A day in the life of a renal dietetics assistant
Charlotte Jennifer-Louise Routen Nutritionist/ Dietetics Assistant, Fresenius
Charlotte is a degree qualified nutritionist with experience working for the NHS and privately both in employed and freelance positions. She enjoys being in the countryside and by the sea, with her family and my dogs. Her favourite place is Cornwall.
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Whilst studying for my degree in Nutrition at the University of Nottingham, I worked for NutraTech, a company which creates online diet tools and websites. Once I had graduated in 2010, I set up my own business Route2nutriton and did some work for the NHS and for private companies too. I then went travelling around the world, discovering new cultures and tasting lots of different cuisines. In 2012, I got the job as dietetics assis- weight; as HD patients don’t dialyse tant at Fresenius - a renal dialysis unit daily, water and minerals such as potasin Leicester, where I worked two days sium and phosphorus build up in their a week. I later had an additional job in system, which can become dangerous if medical sales with Nutrinovo, supply- it isn’t controlled properly. ing hospitals with nutritional supple- Blood results are taken monthly; I ments. review the results, write them up in the In 2013, I started a Dietetics degree patient’s folders and note any out-ofat Coventry Unirange results that versity to gain my are passed onto . . . as HD patients don’t Registered Dietitian the RD and Multi(RD) title which disciplinary team dialyse daily, water and will hopefully open (MDT), in a MDT more doors for me meeting. Patients minerals such as and my career. I still have access to their work part time at own results online, potassium and phosphorus Fresenius, although but we also proI am currently takvide a printed copy build up in their system, ing a year out on which gives the maternity leave. patients and ourwhich can become dangerous selves a chance to In the renal ask questions when dialysis unit if it isn’t controlled properly we hand them out. Fresenius is a sat Patients are ellite unit, which seen every month takes NHS patients for the first six who have stage 5 kidney disease and months of dialysis and then every three who require dialysis. It is a medium- months thereafter. Some patients who sized unit with around 114 patients, who are on nutritional support, for example, come in for haemodialysis (HD) three may be assessed more closely and seen times a week. Generally, the patients more regularly; it is the RD who generstick to the same shift every week, so ally sees them. they really get to know one another and I carry out anthropometric measureit creates a lovely environment. There is ments every three months; this consists of a lot of chatter in the waiting area and a mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and dry weight (post HD weight). All across the ward during a shift. It is important that we keep an eye new patients also have their height meaon the patient’s blood results and dry sured and documented. These measure-
NHDmag.com July 2015 - Issue 106
