For four years, I worked in a nutritional clinic.
I didn’t know what all happened in a nutritional clinic, and it kind of surprised me.
There were people attending the nutritional clinic for more than looking to lose weight. The nutritional clinic had the people who wanted a weight loss plan. There was a bariatric clinic within the nutritional clinic. These were people who were morbidly overweight. They were there for different surgeries, such as gastric bypass, lap bands, and other kinds of quick weight loss surgeries. They had to go through nutritional counselling, psychiatric evaluation, and total physical evaluation. The doctors let these people know that their weight problems weren’t all their problem, but that it was a product of their lack of knowledge. There were also people coming for nutritional counselling for different health issues. I met several people who had liver problems. Some had kidney disease, or cancer, and with the help of nutritional counselling, they could cope with their disease and live a better life. I enjoyed working in the nutrition clinic. I wanted to learn more about this type of health center, other than just welcoming patients and showing them out. I talked to the doctor about sponsoring me so I could go to school. I wanted to become a nutritional nurse practitioner. As a nurse practitioner, I could see the patients and do the work of a doctor. I couldn’t give out prescriptions without discussing it with the doctor, but I could make the recommendations. I could also send my patients for different testing. The doctor I worked with the most gave me a glowing recommendation.