Profession dietitian

Dietician's plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to assist in the promotion of health and control of disease. May supervise activities of a department providing quantity food services, counsel individuals, or conduct nutritional research.

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Personality Type

• Investigative / Social

Tasks dietitian

• Analyze clients' nutritional needs, diet restrictions and current health.
• Develop and implement dietary care plans.
• Provide nutritional counseling and give advice on nutrition and related food services.
• Keep records of clients' dietary care plans, progress and condition.
• Monitor clients' diet.
• Consult with health care professionals to set up nutritional needs and diet restrictions for patients or clients.
• Educate individuals and groups about nutrition, e.g. healthy eating habits.
• Participate in the education and training of students, medical professionals and other health professionals.
• Take part in preventative health programmes.
• Conduct and assess dietary studies and other food and nutrition related research.

Related professions counselor, educator

• Early childhood educator
• Nutrition information officer

Knowledge

• Biological chemistry

  Biological chemistry is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.

• Medical informatics

  The processes and tools used for the analysis and dissemination of medical data through computerized systems.

• Health care occupation-specific ethics

  The moral standards and procedures, ethical questions and obligations specific to occupations in a health care setting such as respect for human dignity, self-determination, informed consent and patient confidentiality.

• Food hygiene rules

  The set of national and international regulations for hygiene of foodstuffs and food safety, e.g. regulation (EC) 852/2004.

• Psychology

  The human behaviour and performance with individual differences in ability, personality, interests, learning, and motivation.

• Human anatomy

  The dynamic relationship of human structure and function and the muscosceletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, urinary, reproductive, integumentary and nervous systems; normal and altered anatomy and physiology throughout the human lifespan.

• Professional documentation in health care

  The written standards applied in the health care professional environments for documentation purposes of one`s activity.

• Clinical examinations in dietetics

  Methods used to evaluate clinical skills in dietetics.

• Food legislation

  Legislation related to the food and feed industry including food manufacturing, hygiene, safety, raw materials, additives, GMOs, labelling, environmental and trade regulations.

• Obesity

  The causes, pathophysiology and effects on health of the excess of body fat.

• Hygiene in a health care setting

  The procedures related to maintaining a hygienic environment within a health care setting such as hospitals and clinics. It can range from hand washing to cleaning and disinfection of medical equipment used and infection control methods.

• Calculation of food energy

  The summing up of the total energy of food by adding together the energy provided by the proteins, total fat, carbohydrates and dietary fibers contained in one meal or food product.

• Human physiology

  The science that studies the human organs and its interactions and mechanisms.

• Nutritional adequacy of food intake

  The daily nutrient recommendations of food intake for dietary planning and how nutrients play an important part in promoting health and optimal functioning.

• Counselling methods

  Counselling techniques used in different settings and with various groups and individuals, especially concerning methods of supervision and mediation in the counselling process.

• Supervision of persons

  The act of directing one individual or a group of individuals in a certain activity.

• Medical terminology

  The meaning of medical terms and abbreviations, of medical prescriptions and various medical specialties and when to use it correctly.

• Chemistry

  The composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk factors, and disposal methods.

• Pathology

  The components of a disease, the cause, mechanisms of development, morphologic changes, and the clinical consequences of those changes.

• Rehabilitation

  The methods and procedures used to help an ill or injured person restore lost skills and regain self-sufficiency and control.

• Health care legislation

  The patients` rights and responsibilities of health practitioners and the possible repercussions and prosecutions in relation to medical treatment negligence or malpractice.

• Food science

  The study of the physical, biological, and chemical makeup of food and the scientific concepts underlying food processing and nutrition.

• Composition of diets

  The planning, selection, composition and manufacturing of diets for healthy and ill persons.

• Food labels

  The utility of food labels; their meaning and role in encouraging a healthful diet.

• Epidemiology

  The branch of medicine that deals with the incidence, distribution and control of diseases. The disease aetiology, transmission, outbreak investigation, and comparisons of treatment effects.

• Nutrition of healthy persons

  The type of nutrition needed for healthy individuals of all ages.

• Dietetics

  The human nutrition and dietary modification for optimising health in clinical or other environments. The role of nutrition in promoting health and preventing illness across the life spectrum.

• Sociology

  The group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

• Pharmacology

  Pharmacology is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.

• Eating disorders

  The various types, pathophysiology and psychology of eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorders and how they can be treated.

• Paediatrics

  Paediatrics is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.

• Food allergies

  The types of food allergies within the sector, which substances trigger allergies, and how they can be replaced or eliminated (if possible).

Skills

• Measure nutritional health status using appropriate tools

  Review patient`s clinical information obtained through physician referral, laboratory reports and health records, conducting consultations with patients to obtain relevant information and assess their nutritional status.

• Follow clinical guidelines

  Follow agreed protocols and guidelines in support of healthcare practice which are provided by healthcare institutions, professional associations, or authorities and also scientific organisations.

• Adhere to organisational guidelines

  Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.

• Offer advice on diet-related concerns

  Offer advice on dietary concerns such as overweight or elevated cholesterol levels.

• Educate on the prevention of illness

  Offer evidence-based advice on how to avoid ill health, educate and advise individuals and their carers on how to prevent ill health and/or be able to advise how to improve their environment and health conditions. Provide advice on the identification of risks leading to ill health and help to increase the patients' resilience by targeting prevention and early intervention strategies.

• Promote inclusion

  Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.

• Work in a multicultural environment in health care

  Interact, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.

• Educate healthcare users on nutrition

  Help healthcare users and caregivers with choosing meals from a modified therapeutic selective menu, explaining nutritional principles, dietary plans and diet modifications, food selection and preparation and providing and explaining materials and publications to support the nutrition care plan.

• Provide treatment strategies for challenges to human health

  Identify possible treatment protocols for the challenges to human health within a given community in cases such as infectious diseases of high consequences at the global level.

• Train medical staff on nutrition

  Provide training on nutrition to nurses and other medical staff, as well as catering staff.

• Provide dietetic diagnosis

  Apply a holistic approach in diagnosing or providing a clinical impression of [delete: the his] a patient's condition resulting from illness, age, or disability and plan nutrition accordingly, in order to improve symptoms.

• Inform policy makers on health-related challenges

  Provide useful information related to health care professions to ensure policy decisions are made in the benefit of communities.

• Advise on preparation of diet food

  Formulate and supervise nutrition schemes to meet special dietary needs, such as low-fat or low-cholesterol diets, or gluten free.

• Contribute to continuity of health care

  Contribute to the delivery of coordinated and continuous healthcare.

• Follow up nutrition care plan

  Note the patient`s response to the diet program and calculate and record dietary intake of patients on medical records. Modify nutrition care plan as necessary and provide patients with follow-up training on topics such as nutrition, food preparation, and record keeping.

• Identify the health benefits of nutritional changes

  Recognize the effects of nutritional changes on human organism and how they impact it positively.

• Empathise with the healthcare user

  Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.

• Prepare promotional materials on nutrition

  Prepare information packs, brochures and other promotional materials to provide information about nutrition to health professionals and the public.

• Work in multidisciplinary health teams

  Participate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare related professions.

• Formulate dietetic intervention

  Select types and amounts of food for therapeutic diets based on indicated physiological and psychological needs of the patient, developing an individualised nutrition plan for the patient.

• Identify cause of nutritional imbalance

  Recognize the possible root causes of nutritional disproportions and their physiological or psychological nature.

• Support individuals on nutrition changes

  Encourage and support individuals in their strive to keep realistic nutritional goals and practices in their day to day diet.

• Deliver group sessions on nutrition

  Deliver information on good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to groups.

• Advise on healthcare users' informed consent

  Ensure patients/clients are fully informed about the risks and benefits of proposed treatments so they can give informed consent, engaging patients/clients in the process of their care and treatment.

• Deal with emergency care situations

  Assess the signs and be well-prepared for a situation that poses an immediate threat to a person's health, security, property or environment.  

• Use e-health and mobile health technologies

  Use mobile health technologies and e-health (online applications and services) in order to enhance the provided healthcare.

• Apply context specific clinical competences

  Apply professional and evidence based assessment, goal setting, delivery of intervention and evaluation of clients, taking into account the developmental and contextual history of the clients, within one`s own scope of practice.

• Comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice

  Apply quality standards related to risk management, safety procedures, patients feedback, screening and medical devices in daily practice, as they are recognized by the national professional associations and authorities.

• Comply with legislation related to health care

  Comply with the regional and national legislation that is relevant to one`s work and apply it in practice.

• Advise food industry

  Give councelling to food service managers and organisations, on matters related to nutrition such as menu development, food composition, budgeting, planning, sanitation, safety procedures, and process for a better nutritional profile of food. Assist with the establishment, proper functioning, and assessment of food service facilities and nutrition programs.

• Intervene to reduce sub-optimal nutritional status of individuals

  Suggest remediation to improve the nutritional status of individuals to an optimal state.

• Monitor the nutrition status of the individual

  Follow up the nutrition status of patients, their weight, food and fluid intake and nutritional care plan to identify and control the effects of diet changes.

• Conduct nutrition research

  Conduct nutrition research to help in improving the health of the population, focusing on common issues such as cardiometabolic risk and obesity, intestinal function, musculoskeletal health and nutritional vulnerabilities.

• Ensure safety of healthcare users

  Make sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person's needs, abilities or the prevailing conditions.

• Supervise food in healthcare

  Supervise the food, menus and meals provided in a health care setting to ensure compliance with health safety and hygienic standards.

• Provide health education

  Provide evidence based strategies to promote healthy living, disease prevention and management.

• Develop policies for nutritional programs

  Develop policies for food service or nutritional programs to assist in health promotion and disease control.

• Perform nutrition analysis

  Determine and calculate the nutrients of food products from available sources including food labels.

• Listen actively

  Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.

• Apply organisational techniques

  Employ a set of organisational techniques and procedures which facilitate the achievement of the goals set. Use these resources efficiently and sustainably, and show flexibility when required.

• Respond to changing situations in health care

  Cope with pressure and respond appropriately and in time to unexpected and rapidly changing situations in healthcare.

• Communicate effectively in healthcare

  Communicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, health care professionals, and community partners.

• Manage healthcare users' data

  Keep accurate client records which also satisfy legal and professional standards and ethical obligations in order to facilitate client management, ensuring that all clients' data (including verbal, written and electronic) are treated confidentially.

• Apply health sciences

  Apply a broad range of bio-medical, psycho-social, organisational, educational, and societal aspects of health, disease, and healthcare to improve healthcare services and to improve quality of life.

• Interact with healthcare users

  Communicate with clients and their carer’s, with the patient’s permission, to keep them informed about the clients’ and patients’ progress and safeguarding confidentiality.

• Identify the dietetic professional quality of care

  Ensure the highest quality of care provided through dietetic interventions and nutrition-based advice.

• Accept own accountability

  Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB