All Dietitians

Hot Crab Dip by Janis from Illinois

When Janis joined DaVita 10-years ago, she was looking for a full-time job after working part-time while her children were young. “I was always interested in food and cooking,” Janis recalls. “And when I came across a want ad for a renal dietitian, I decided to apply for the job. I was hired and loved it—I’ve been here ever since!”

Janis grew up in Southern Illinois and completed her education at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Since then, she has found her role as a DaVita dietitian very rewarding. “I love helping patients who come into the unit almost afraid to eat because of all the foods they’ve been told not to eat.” Janis shares, “I help them incorporate the foods they love into their diets by providing recipes for new foods and they are actually relieved that they can enjoy eating again.” 

However, when it comes to improving their health, Janis stresses that patients should not focus on diet alone. “One of the most important things they can do is to take their medications—blood pressure medications, phosphorus binders, insulin, etc.  It affects their health greatly and makes the job of the physician, nurse and dietitian easier. It’s difficult to assess what changes need to be made with diet or medications if patients do not consistently take their medications,” states Janis.

Teamwork is clearly the key to patient success. It is also one of the reasons Janis loves coming to work. “I really enjoy the supportive atmosphere at DaVita—specifically within nutrition services. We have a very dedicated team and I’m grateful for the resources, communication and support that dietitians have.”

Janis also enjoys working with a diverse group of patients. Because her center is located in an urban setting, there are some patients with very limited incomes and education levels, and occasionally homeless patients, while others have adequate resources and good family support. She and her teammates have developed innovative ways to meet the challenges of all patients, regardless of their circumstances. “We also use small incentives and contests as motivators to help patients achieve lab goals, especially with albumin and phosphorus. It’s fun and rewarding to see patients work toward a goal and to see the camaraderie and competition among some of patients.”

Now you can enjoy some camaraderieof your own. Make Janis’ Hot Crab Dip for your next party. It’s the kind of appetizer that will make friends gather around to share good food and good company.

Recipe:

• Hot Crab Dip