UAA and Providence Medical Center bring leading dietitians to Anchorage

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This fall the Providence Alaska Medical Center and the UAA Dietetics program teamed up to bring staff from the Cleveland Clinic to Anchorage to train Alaska dietitians and UAA dietetic interns. The clinic is a leader in the dietetics profession.

Siena Vanucci, a local registered dietitian, performs a
simulated, nutrition-focused physical exam on
Katherine Sweetman. Sweetman is an intern in the
Dietetics program.

The two-day training focused on helping dietitians implement guidelines established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) to diagnose and treat malnutrition.

“We are deeply committed to improving patients’ lives,” said Lauri Ek-Watson, clinical nutrition manager at Providence Alaska Medical Center. “This workshop has given us the opportunity to increase knowledge of malnutrition in the community.”

Providence Hospital hosted the first day of training, which included instruction and hand-on opportunities to practice implementing the nutrition guidelines through scenarios and small-group activities.

The second day of training took place in the UAA College of Health Simulation Lab. This provided participants an opportunity to practice the skills they learned in two simulations with hired patient actors. Cleveland Clinic staff observed and provided feedback to participants.

“These workshops were a wonderful opportunity to train dietetic interns on new standards in the profession, but just as importantly, to enhance the skills of dietitians who serve as preceptors for our interns,” said Kendra Sticka, UAA assistant professor and coordinator of the Bachelor of Science in dietetics. “Bringing leaders in the area of malnutrition assessment to Anchorage was a tremendous benefit to our students. Providence has been a wonderful partner to the Dietetics program, and we are extremely grateful for their support.”

The training was free to all participants through the generous donation of the Providence Alaska Foundation.

The Dietetics program is offered through the UAA Community & Technical College. Visit the program's website to learn more.

Story by Kirstin Olmstead, Communications Coordinator, UAA Community & Technical College

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