Supervised Practice Internship

Supervised Practice Internship Materials and Information

1. Competency Statements for the Supervised Practice Internship Component (CNDT 1.1–4.7)
   • The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Competencies for Dietetic Technician (CNDT) students are completed during NUTR 291, NUTR 292 and NUTR 293. Approximately one-third of the competencies will be completed in each of the courses/internship rotations.
2. Supervised Practice Internship Competencies
   • This is a list organized by competency number, rotation and title.
   • The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics competencies are grouped by three domains: food service, community and clinical. All competencies must be completed with proper documentation.
3. Preceptor Evaluation Form
   • Both preceptor and student sign this form. The student is responsible for providing copies to the preceptor, or it may be completed online and printed for original signatures.
4. Supervised Practice Internship Reports
   • Each competency (except CNDT 2.9) must include the following, in this order:
     • Cover Sheet for competency met
     • Preceptor Evaluation Form (completed/signed)
     • Typed report of activities meeting CNDT(s). Report must include:
       • Student's name
       • Number of hours
       • CNDT(s) met
       • Dates of activities performed
     • Copies of all materials associated with the competency completed (multiple may be reported, if applicable)
   • These items will be compiled in a separate portfolio for each internship rotation (NUTR 291, NUTR 292 and NUTR 293). This will be submitted to the TMCC professor managing the internship at the end of each rotation.
5. Supervised Practice Internship Site Evaluation
   • Completed and submitted by the student at the completion of each of the following courses: NUTR 291, NUTR 292 and NUTR 293.

Dress Code

• You may be are required to wear a lab coat issued by a medical facility.
• You may be required to wear a name badge issued by a facility.
• While in food service areas, you will be required to wear hair coverings, such as hairnets. These will be provided for you.
• If hair is long, it must be worn back or up. No unusual hair color (such as purple) is allowed.
• Jewelry. Please check with your food service rotation ahead of time to determine whether or not jewelry on the hands and wrists are allowed. You may wear one pair of earrings in ear lobes. No other visible piercing or tattoos are allowed.
• Appropriate footwear must be worn at all times. Closed toed, low-heeled shoes with sturdy soles must be worn in kitchen areas and are recommended for wear in all clinical settings.
• High heels are not appropriate.
• Tank tops, shorts, and jeans are not allowed.
• Sleeveless shirts are generally not allowed.

Code of Conduct

All TMCC Dietetic Technician students are ambassadors of the program while at the supervised practice site experiences. Professional, courteous and respectful behavior is expected of all students.

• If you are going to be late, or cannot make it to work, call with as much advance warning as possible. You must also call or email your professor and leave a message regarding your absence. The hours missed will be made up at the supervised practice site’s convenience.
• Adhere to the dress code.
• Stay in communication with your preceptors.
• Use appropriate language - no swearing or loud voices.
• Utilize professional behavior at all times.
• Maintain client confidentiality at all times.
• Do not speak of patients/clients in public places, such as elevators.
• Students will not fraternize with clients, patients, and members of their families or staff members outside of the practicum experience.
• No gum or tobacco chewing.
• Adhere to the site’s drug and alcohol policies.
• Comply with the site’s policies and procedures.
• When you are unsure of how to act in a specific situation, talk to your preceptor or to the program coordinator.
• Be an attentive listener. Allow your preceptors to explain their expectations of you in detail before asking questions.
• Ask thoughtful, appropriate questions. Try to find the answers yourself before asking another person.
• If you are having concerns about your internship, express your concerns to your instructor on campus first.
• Be enthusiastic. Regardless of the topic or the learning experience, remember that your preceptor is trying to help you accomplish your goals.
• Be positive. Your attitude reflects not only on yourself but also on the program.
• Meet with your campus instructor, on campus or on site, a minimum of three times during each rotation. Bring all completed and work-in-progress documentation with you to the meeting. It is your responsibility to schedule the meetings.

See Also: Mid-Internship Self-Evaluation form

Reports: General Guidelines

Student reports of activities meeting each CNDT must be typed. Both the student and preceptor must print and sign the Preceptor Evaluation Form. All signatures should be in blue ink.

Reports are not limited in length. Make sure to include copies of any materials used, including pictures of items that are too big to fit in a binder (such as a poster). Make copies of the original Competency Cover Sheets for record keeping. At the end of each rotation, submit the original signed sheets to the TMCC professor in a portfolio/binder.

When going to sites, anticipate completing approximately one-third of the total competencies per supervised practice internship.

There are 32 Core Competencies for the Dietetic Technician (CNDT’s). Each competency must be met at least once. It is expected that students will complete many of the competencies more than once (for example, students will do several screenings and assessments, not just one).

Note: CNDT 2.1 has an evaluation form specific to this activity (Supervised Practice Internship Ethics for the Practice of Dietetics Form) and is to be signed by the Program Coordinator.

Reports: Portfolio/Binder Organization

The student should organize each binder in numerical order by CNDT. Include tabs with the CNDT number.

• The cover sheets, reports and evaluations with comments and original signatures should be placed in one binder for each course rotation (NUTR 291, 292 and 293), for a total of three binders submitted.
• Copies of all materials associated with the activities should be included.
• It is the student's responsibility to complete all paperwork and to obtain all necessary signatures.
• It is the student's responsibility to schedule a meeting with the TMCC professor to review paperwork and receive a grade in the course (satisfactory vs. unsatisfactory).

Supervised Practice Internship Time Log

A supervised practice log must be kept for every day at the supervised practice site. The log is to be done daily during the times that the student is onsite. The log must be included in the portfolio. It may be either typed or neatly hand written.

The log should include the following:

• Date
• Day
• Time of arrival
• Time of departure
• Brief summary/description of what the student did during each day of the supervised practice.

The student is required to meet with their TMCC faculty staff five times per rotation. The first meeting is prior to the beginning of each rotation and is held at TMCC. The last meeting, typically at TMCC, is after completion of the internship rotation upon submission of the portfolio for grading.

The other three meetings are held during the completion of required hours and at the rotation site. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule all five meetings. The student must take into consideration the faculty member’s schedule, in addition to their rotation schedule when scheduling all meetings. The student must bring all portfolio activities and/or dietetic competencies materials with them to each meeting.

Competency Statements for the Supervised Practice Internship Component

Competency statements specify what every Dietetic Technician should be able to do at the beginning of his or her practice career. The core competency statements build on appropriate knowledge and skills necessary for the entry-level practitioner to perform reliably at the performance level indicated.

The minimum performance level for the competency is indicated by the action verb used at the beginning of the statement. The action verbs reflect four levels of performance. The higher level of performance assumes the ability to performance at the lower level.

1. Assist: independently perform under supervision, or participate - take part in team activities;
2. Perform: able to initiate activities without direct supervision, or conduct - independently perform activities;
3. Consult: able to perform specialized functions that are discrete, delegated activities intended to improve the work of others, or supervise - able to oversee daily operation of a unit including personnel, resource utilization, and environmental issues; or, able to coordinate and direct the activities of a team or project ,workgroup;
4. Manage: able to plan, organize, and direct an organization unit through actual or simulated experiences, including knowing what questions to ask.

If the verb "supervise" is used, it assumes that the graduate will progress from "perform/do" the activity while in the program. Students may demonstrate that they can supervise an activity rather than an individual through such activities as quality improvement audits or coordinating the work of others.

Supervised practice internship competency checklists for clinical, community, and food service are all available online in our documents and forms.