Department of Dietetics
Started in 1996
- Chief Dieticians -Ms. Madhu Datta(R.D.)
- Dietician-Ms. Ramandeep Benipal(R.D.),
- Junior Dietician-Reema Bhatia (R.D.)
Introduction
The department started functioning on 25th May, 1996 from Level V, Block A to provide OPD services as well as diets for a handful of indoor patients. The indoor strength increased gradually to 250 patients per day in the year 2000 and the department was providing normal and therapeutic diets to about 700 patients per day by the end of the year 2015. After the commissioning of Block C in 2004, the department started operating from its designated area at Level I, Block-C. The Patients kitchen which houses modern state of the art equipment is worker-friendly with an efficient exhaust and fresh air system which is not installed anywhere else in a government set-up in this region. It has ample storage area for dry ration items which are stacked as if in a departmental store. It also has a walk-in cold store for storing fresh vegetables, fruits and dairy products. There is a special area for the preparation of feeds. These therapeutic feeds are supplied to the patients in food grade plastics Containers.This area is a restricted area to avoid any infection. The department is presently providing services to about more than 700 patients in general and private wards.
NUTRITIONAL CARE OF PATIENTS
(A) Warded Patients :
The Department of Dietetics provides normal, modified, therapeutic diets and enteral feeds to about 700 General and Private ward patients in Block A and Block C. Each Junior Dietician has been entrusted with the care of approximately 80 to 90 patients in 4 to 5 wards. A careful dietary history of each admitted patients is taken, their blood parameters are reviewed to assess his/her nutritional status and diet is provided as per the recommendations of the treating doctor. Extensive ward rounds are undertaken for this purpose and later to check the compliance with the prescribed diet and /or to carry out any modifications as per requirements of the patients. The Chief Dietician conducts master ward rounds daily with Junior Dieticians and interns for supervision and intervention wherever required.
All the warded patients on therapeutic diets/feeds are given diet Plans bearing detailed dietary instructions to be followed at home at the time of discharge. Follow up of these patients is done at the O.P.D diet clinic, Block-B, 5th Floor, Room No.5307.
(B) DIET CLINIC :
(i) Diet clinic is functional six days a week to give therapeutic diet plans to the OPD Patients at OPD diet Clinic, Room no.5307, V Floor Block B.
(ii)Sports nutriion OPD is functional on Tuesday & Thursday at Dietetics Department, Ground Floor Block-C.
FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT
The diet are prepared at the central kitchen situated at Level I, Block-C :-
(i) GMCH-32.
(ii) GMCH-32, South Campus Hospital, Sector 48, Chandigarh.
(iii) Mental Health Institute(MHI), Sector 32-C, Chadndigarh.
(iv) RHTC-Rural Health Training Centre(RHTC), Palsora.
Diet is compulsory for all warded patients. The patient’s kitchen is being managed on contractual basis.The contractor is responsible for arranging raw material, fuel gas, manpower, cooking utensils and serviettes as per therecommendation of the institute while major equipment is provided by the hospital recommendation. The meals are prepared and served as per the daily instructions given by the dieticians who maintain a strict check on the quality of food and the services provided. A weekly cyclic menu is followed to provide variety in diet. Between 5 to 8 services per day are provided based on the kind of diet required and whether the patient is admitted in general or private ward.The diets are prepared at the central kitchen situated at Level I, Block C and are provided at the patient’s bedside through 34 pantries. All therapeutic diets are served in labeled insulated tiffin carriers.
Enteral nutrition is provided for the critically ill patients who cannot be fed orally. All therapeutic feeds for such patients are provided in labeled individual leak proof food grade plastic tumblers. Distribution of food is checked on regular basis. The diet charges per patient per day are Rs. 107/- for general ward and Rs. 153/- for private ward. Facility exists for general ward patients to opt for private ward diet if they so desire.
INTERNSHIP TRAINING
i) Internship Training as a Part of Post Graduation:
Every year the department provides internship training of three months from 15th June to 14th Sept to 10 Students of PG Diploma in Dietetics and internship training of six weeks from 15th June to 31st July to 15 students of M.Sc Foods & Nutrition. 85% Seats are reserved for the students from institutions located within the territory of UT Chandigarh 15% seats for the students from institutions located outside the UT Chandigarh. The deadline for receiving applications from the Principals of the Colleges is 14th May each year. The selection of candidates is strictly on the basis of merit.
Guidelines for Internship (Size: 418.7 KB, Format: PDF, Language: English)
ii) Short Term Attachment Training:
Besides internship training, Short Term Attachment (STA) training for a period of six months is allowed for 8 candidates who have done PG diploma (Nutrition & Dietetics)/ M.Sc (Foods & Nutrition) from 1st October to 31st March every year. 85% Seats are reserved for the students from institutions located within the territory of UT Chandigarh and 15% seats for the students from institutions located outside the UT Chandigarh. The selection, again, is strictly on the basis of merit. Copies of final result with detailed mark sheets of the qualifying examination and B.Sc degree with detail mark sheet plus a draft for a sum of Rs. two hundred only (Rs. 200/-) in favour of Director Principal, GMCH payable at Chandigarh are required to be attached. The candidates apply directly to GMCH on prescribed application form, which can be downloaded from the website.
Last date for receipt of applications is 31st August every year, if it is gazetted holiday on the last day, the acceptance for the same will be on the next day. Certificate for STA training is not awarded to any candidate who fails to complete the entire six month period for whatever reasons.
Download Short Term Form (Size: 59.3 KB, Format: PDF, Language: English)
Teaching
Lectures are also conducted by the Chief Dietician for the B.Sc Nursing Students of 1st year for the Subject of Foods and Nutrition
Registered Dietitian (RD) Exam conducted by IDA (Size: 18.3 KB, Format: PDF, Language: English)
Registration is awarded to applicants who successfully qualify in the Registration examination.
Eligibility Requirements for Registration Examination
QUALFICATION
- B.Sc. Home Science in Foods & Nutrition (Day Scholar) Or Graduation with science stream having minimum 3-4 subjects as 1) basic nutrition 2) Biochemistry 3) Physiology 4) Diet Therapy.
- +Post Graduate Diploma in Nutrition & Dietetics OR M.Sc.in Foods & Nutrition/Clinical Nutrition/ Dietetics. (Regular course from recognized universities/ institutions only).
- +Six months’ continuous internship from recognized hospitals listed on the website. OR
- Five year experience in a multispecialty hospital as full-time dietitian from IDA recognized Hospitals.If experience from non-IDA recognized hospital than recommendation letter from local IDA chapter president to be uploaded with RD exam application form.
INSTITUTE HOSPITALITY/CAFETARIA MANAGEMENT
- Institute hospitality at the meetings of constituted committees, visits of dignitaries and at college functions is provided by the department. The overall management of the cafeterias and the eating outlets situated at various blocks of the hospital also is the responsibility of the department.
- Dietary management of the food supplied to the Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC), Palsora and Disability Assesment Rehabilitation Triage (DART), Chandigarh.
- Refreshments supplied to the blood donors in blood bank / transfusion Medicine department.