Curriculum: Clinical Dietetics

Objectives and Activities

1. Establish professional relationships in the practice of dietetics.
   a. Interview the following individuals: Clinical Nutrition Manager, Food Service Director, Staff RDs, Dietetic Technician
   Note: Roles, responsibilities and interrelationships in the hospital setting.
2. Utilize appropriate techniques to collect data, assess, nutritional status, and counsel individuals an groups.
   a. Shadow the dietetic technician, and then the RD in a typical day's nutrition screening, assessment, and counseling
   procedures.
   b. Observe and become familiar with nutrition screening procedures in the facility.
   c. Begin seeing the dietitian under the supervision of the RD. Practice taking diet histories, interviewing techniques, and assessing patients for nutritional status.
   Note to student: The following should occur:
1. Review medical record (anthropometric and biochemical data, medications, socioeconomic status, etc.)
2. Interview patient's using a variety of tools (i.e. food frequency, 24 hour recall etc.)
3. Assess nutritional status using the above information.
4. Develop care plans.
5. Counsel clients as appropriate.
6. Document in medical record, using SOAP note format or other format utilized by the facility.
   
d. * Write a care plan on one patent seen in the clinical setting.
e. Following patients receiving enteral feedings. Assess nutritional status, determine appropriateness of formula, volume and strength. For each patient, write up recommendations comparing nutrition parameters, tolerance, and nutritional needs.
f. *Write a care plan on a patient seen on an enteral feeding.
3. If appropriate, identify indications for use of TPN and practice calculating formulas. (note: not all interns may get to
   see patients receiving TPN).
   a. Follow patients receiving TPN, if available.
4. Evaluate two disease states in-depth.
   a. Write two case studies on patients with different disease states. (Do not use patients previously seen for care plans.)
   b. Integrate nutrition services into the health care delivery system. If available, participate in interdisciplinary rounds.
5. Assume responsibilities of a staff clinical dietitian.
   a. Upon preceptor approval, assume coverage for a particular floor(s) or cover patients designated by your preceptor.
6. Develop and deliver educational programs for professionals.
   a. With your preceptor, determine a clinical project that will be completed for the facility.
7. Identify the procedures for quality assurance at your facility.
   a. Schedule a time with the Manager of Clinical Nutrition Services or other individual responsible for reviewing
   departmental procedures. Participate in the QA process.

Evaluation Methods

• Daily journals
• Evaluation of projects by internship faculty
• Ongoing feedback on performance by preceptor
• Performance evaluation, final

*Denotes assignment. Directions for assignments will be provided to interns and preceptors. All internship assignments will be submitted to internship faculty for evaluation via an on-line course management system.