All Dietitians

Hamburger Patties by Nicole from Nebraska

Hamburger Patties are an American favorite. This is a healthy, low-fat version by DaVita dietitian Nicole from Nebraska.

Nicole was born, raised and still resides in Nebraska. Even before attending the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Nicole was interested in the science of food and how it relates to the body. Once in school, renal studies proved to be her favorite rotation, and she stayed hopeful that one day renal care would be her profession.

She’s been employed with DaVita for three-and-a-half years, and Nicole says the most challenging aspect of her job is to keep education exciting and new, with an interesting edge. “When my work makes a positive impact on patients, I’m rewarded,” she says. “It’s great when patients feel better, notice a difference in their labs and are pleased with making the effort.” Nicole also adds that she always tries to provide a smile, a positive attitude and encouragement so patients  feel empowered to make the kinds of decisions that impact their well being and health.

“Even though I don’t always tell my patients what they want to hear, I believe they regard me as a person who cares. I welcome their smiles and thanks for doing my best, and I’m so glad that most welcome a visit from their dietitian. I try to accentuate the positive, even when there’s negative in there, too. I always provide encouragement along with my suggestions for improvement so they can do it for themselves.”

When it comes to techniques that have worked well for her, Nicole mentions that, “Some patients are motivated by working together on games and puzzles. Others do better with incentive programs. I tried handing out recipe books with alternative menu selections for those patients who needed to work on their phosphorus. The single most important thing patients can do to improve their health is to know that they only have to work to please themselves—not to please a dietitian or get a perfect score on a report card.”

“I had a patient tell me, ‘God blessed me by bringing someone like you into my life.’ She was hopeful that if she prayed hard enough she would regain function. In the meantime, she expressed thanks to have someone who gives her friendly smiles. It was the nicest thing a patient has ever said to me, and I’ll never forget it.”

Nicole says her job allows her to say healthy, too. “Our clinic is on two levels and I get a lot of exercise by using the stairs because our offices are in the basement. Patients dialyze upstairs where there are lots of windows and everyone can enjoy the sunshine. I work with three different clinics, staff and patient populations. All have the same goal which is providing the best care to our patients.”

When it comes to working as part of the DaVita team, Nicole says, “I’m impressed at how many resources are provided for professionals like me, as well as the general dialysis population, via the DaVita website”.

If you’re yearning for a classic American burger with all the taste, you can’t go wrong with Nicole’s Hamburger Patties. Try a forkful of comfort food and taste a culinary classic from Nebraska!

Recipe

• Hamburger Patties