Learning Outcomes

The educational program at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center combines clinical experiences and educational opportunities needed to prepare specialists in Clinical Nutrition.

The need for the type of advanced applied nutrition program we offer is increasingly apparent. To be effective members of health care organizations, clinical nutritionists must have breadth, depth, organizational ability, and resourcefulness. Knowledge and technology are expanding so rapidly that those working toward or in leadership positions in clinical dietetics not only must be adept at using the literature effectively and recognizing limitations of computer applications in dietetics, but also must be knowledgeable about nutrition service delivery, both within the health care setting and in the community.

Our program goals and learning outcomes are as follows:

1. Produce competent entry-level dietitians with special expertise in clinical nutrition therapy.
   1. All individuals who enter program successfully complete all requirements.
   2. Ninety percent (7 of 8) of graduates pass the RD exam on the first attempt.
   3. Ninety percent (7 of 8) of graduates will rate themselves satisfied with their clinical training as preparation for their professional positions.
   4. Within 6 months of graduation, 80% (6 of 8) of graduates who wish to be, will be employed in health care or related fields, or pursing higher education.
   5. At least 85% of employers are satisfied with our graduates.
   6. All students will conduct their professional practice and personal behavior in accordance with the ADA Code of Ethics. All students will utilize the guidelines detailed in the ADA Standards of Practice in Nutrition Care, ADA Standards of Performance for Dietetic Professionals, and ADA scope of Practice in their practice of dietetics.
2. Provide the student with the biological and clinical medical science base for understanding the roles of nutrition for understanding the roles of nutrition and its application in health promotion, prevention, palliation, and treatment of disease at the masters level.
   1. All students will successfully complete the Master of Science degree at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.
   2. All students will participate in all internship-related assigned seminars, workshops, class days, journal reviews, and grand rounds.
   3. Evidence-based practice will provide the foundation for students implementation of medical nutrition therapies.
3. Provide students with the learning opportunities needed to develop sound personal and professional attitudes and values that foster professional responsibility and leadership skills.
   1. Preceptors are positive role models for clinical practice via fostering exchange of ideas, promoting learning, and modeling positive professional behaviors.
   2. Students demonstrate positive interactions with patients, peers, supervisors and other professionals.
   3. All students will participate in national, state, and/or local activities related to health and nutrition, and are encouraged to present papers and posters where appropriate.
4. Foster the development of skills necessary to understand and participate in nutrition research.
   1. All students will understand and appreciate the breadth of issues surrounding the use of human subjects in research.
   2. All students will be exposed to nutrition research activities, will participate in ongoing nutrition research, and be able to apply appropriate dietetics research to enhance practice.
5. Provide an opportunity to develop strong professional communication skills (e.g. professional consultation skills, written communications, effective patient interactions, medical record note writing, presentation skills, and nutrition education for the public).
   1. All students will be competent in oral and written communications with patients, peers, and other health care team members, and the public.
   2. All students will be able to integrate their knowledge of food and nutrition with knowledge of health, the social sciences, communications, and management theory.
6. Foster the development of skills in integrating the nutritional care needs of a person, group, or community, taking into consideration other health care, social, and environmental factors.
   1. Students will understand the varied factors involved in the provision of total care for patients and the role of a variety of health care providers.
   2. Students will recognize and appreciate the role of nutrition in community health.
   3. Students will utilize intervention plans, that include monitoring and evaluation, to promote positive health outcomes.
7. Prepare the student to deal effectively with current and future professional issues and challenges (e.g. cultural diversity, nutrition-related globalization and technology, nutrigenomics, etc.)
   1. Students will attend to cultural diversity issues when working with patients, peers, health care professionals and the public.
   2. Students will be exposed to the breadth of issues related to nutrition globalization.
   3. Students will utilize proven technologies and be aware of new technology (i.e.nutrigenomics) as it affects the field of nutrition and dietetics.

These specific goals build upon the required core competencies and Nutrition Therapy emphasis competencies set by the American Dietetic Association. These competencies are as follows:

Core Competencies for Dietitians (CD)

• CD 1. Perform in accordance with the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics.
• CD 2. Refer clients/patients to other dietetics professionals or disciplines when a situation is beyond one's level or area of competence (perform).
• CD 3. Participate in professional activities.
• CD 4. Perform self-assessment, prepare a portfolio for professional development, and participate in lifelong learning activities.
• CD 5. Participate in legislative and public policy processes as they affect food, food security, nutrition, and health care.
• CD 6. Use current technologies for information and communication activities (perform).
• CD 7. Supervise documentation of nutrition assessment and interventions
• CD 8. Provide dietetics education in supervised practice settings (perform).
• CD 9. Supervise counseling, education, and/or other interventions in health promotion/disease prevention for patient/clients needing medical nutrition therapy for uncomplicated instances of common conditions, e.g., hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and diverticular disease.
• CD 10. Supervise education and training for target groups.
• CD 11. Develop and review educational materials for target populations (perform).
• CD 12. Participate in the use of mass media to promote food and nutrition.
• CD 13. Interpret and incorporate new scientific knowledge into practice (perform).
• CD 14. Supervise quality improvement, including systems and customer satisfaction, for dietetics service and/or practice.
• CD 15. Develop and measure outcomes for food and nutrition services and practice (perform).
• CD 16. Participate in organizational change and planning and in goal-setting processes.
• CD 17. Participate in business or operating plan development.
• CD 18. Supervise the collection and processing of financial data.
• CD 19. Perform marketing functions.
• CD 20. Participate in human resources functions.
• CD 21. Participate in facility management, including equipment selection and design/redesign of work units.
• CD 22. Supervise the integration of financial, human, physical, and material resources and services.
• CD 23. Supervise production of food that meets nutrition guidelines, cost parameters, and consumer acceptance.
• CD 24. Supervise development and/or modification of recipes/formulas.
• CD 25. Supervise translation of nutrition into foods/menus for target populations.
• CD 26. Supervise design of menus as indicated by the patients'/clients' health status.
• CD 27. Participate in applied sensory evaluation of food and nutrition products.
• CD 28. Supervise procurement, distribution, and service within delivery systems.
• CD 29. Manage safety and sanitation issues related to food and nutrition.
• CD 30. Supervise nutrition screening of individual patients/clients.
• CD 31. Supervise nutrition assessment of individual patients/clients with uncomplicated instances of common medical conditions/e.g., hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and diverticular disease.
• CD 32. Assess nutritional status of individual patients/clients with uncomplicated instances of common medical conditions, e.g., renal disease, multisystem disease, organ failure and trauma.
• CD 33. Design and implement nutrition care plans as indicated by the patients'/clients' health status (perform).
• CD 34. Manage monitoring of patients'/clients' food and/or nutrient intake.
• CD 35. Select, implement, and evaluate standard enteral and parenteral nutrition regimens, i.e., in a medically stable patient to meet nutritional requirements where recommendations/adjustments involve primarily macronutrients (perform).
• CD 36. Develop and implement transitional feeding plans - i.e., conversion from one form of nutrition support to another, e.g., total parenteral nutrition to tube feeding to oral diet (perform).
• CD 37. Coordinate and modify nutrition care activities among caregivers (perform).
• CD 38. Conduct nutrition care component of interdisciplinary team conferences to discuss patient/client treatment and discharge planning.
• CD 39. Refer patients/clients to appropriate community services for general health and nutrition needs and to other primary care providers as appropriate (perform).
• CD 40. Supervise screening of the nutritional status of the population and/or community groups.
• CD 41. Conduct assessment of the nutritional status of the population and/or community groups.
• CD 42. Provide nutrition care for people of diverse cultures and religions across the lifespan, i.e., infancy through geriatrics (perform).
• CD 43. Conduct community-based health promotion/disease prevention programs.
• CD 44. Participate in development and evaluation of a community-based food and nutrition program.
• CD 45. Supervise community-based food and nutrition programs.
• CD 46. Participate in coding and billing of dietetics/nutrition services to obtain reimbursement for services from public or private insurers.

Nutrition Therapy (NT) Emphasis Competencies

• NT 1. Supervise nutrition assessment of individual patients/clients with complex medical conditions, i.e., more complicated health conditions in select populations, e.g., those with renal disease, multisystem organ failure or trauma.
• NT 2. Integrate pathophysiology into medical nutrition therapy recommendations (perform).
• NT 3. Supervise design through evaluation of nutrition care plan for patients/clients with complex medical conditions, i.e., more complicated health conditions in select populations, e.g., those with renal disease, multisystem organ failure or trauma.
• NT 4. Select, monitor and evaluate complex enteral or parenteral nutrition regimens, i.e., more complicated health conditions in select populations, e.g., those with renal disease, multisystem organ failure or trauma (perform).
• NT 5. Supervise development and implementation of transition feeding plans from the inpatient setting to the home setting.
• NT 6. Conduct counseling and education for patients/clients with complex needs, i.e., more complicated health conditions in select populations, e.g., those with renal disease, multisystem organ failure or trauma.
• NT 7. Perform basic physical assessment.
• NT 8. Participate in nasoenteric feeding tube placement and care.
• NT 9. Participate in waived point-of-care testing, such as blood glucose monitoring.
• NT 10. Participate in the care of patients/clients requiring adaptive feeding devices.
• NT 11. Manage clinical nutrition services.