Undergraduate - UnitBND4011 - Clinical dietetics 2

The knowledge areas of the medical treatment domains of clinical dietetics as required by the Dietitians Association of Australia will be taught and practised under supervision in the healthcare setting for acute and chronic conditions.

The practical experience of nutrition assessment, including anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, dietary, appetite and gastrointestinal function will be placed in the context of underlying medical conditions, and a nutrition care plan formulated, implemented and evaluated for outcomes.

The acute and ambulatory aspects of nutrition care will be studied, and the aspects of team management (nursing, allied health, medicine, social work) are placed in context with the development of communication skills. The student spends most time in the clinical placement setting with clinical education support and supervision. Case based learning will be used in class, co-morbidities examined for prioritisation of nutrition interventions in a problem solving context, and the student incrementally takes more responsibility over the semester for patient care including charting in the medical histories, co-signed by the supervisor.

The domains covered in this unit will be the management and dietetic treatment of gastrointestinal and pancreatic disease, liver disease, oncology, renal disease, pulmonary disease, allergy; neurosciences, nutrition support methodologies, intensive care nutrition, surgery, trauma, burns, infectious diseases and acute paediatrics.

Objectives

At the completion of the unit the students will be able to:

1. Integrate and apply medical and nutritional knowledge and principles in the dietetic management of the following conditions: gastrointestinal disease; cancer and the support of patients throughout the disease and its treatment; chronic and acute renal failure; pulmonary disease; allergy; specialised paediatric acute care; surgery; intensive care nutrition; burns; trauma and infectious disease;
2. Demonstrate proficiency in skills required by a practicing clinical dietitian in screening, assessment, planning, counselling/education, case management, discharge planning and follow up care in the acute, ambulatory, rehabilitative and extended care areas;
3. Synthesise information and apply to the dietetic process;
4. Research and communicate nutritional information appropriately to patients, peers and other members of the healthcare team;
5. Apply skills of research and evidence based practice to formulate and deliver care according to best practice guidelines within the institution and the profession;
6. Reflect on learning to assist with critical thinking and clinical reasoning and problem solving skills; and
7. Reflect on practice to assist with professional development and life long learning
8. Synthesise information and apply to the dietetic process;
9. Research and communicate nutritional information appropriately to patients, peers and other members of the healthcare team.