Course Description

 Applies nutrition principles to the treatment of persons with special dietary needs. Lecture 4 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

Prepares the student to apply the principles of nutrition to persons in a hospital, nursing home or other health care setting who require a modified diet for the treatment or prevention of disease. Course emphasizes the effect of illness upon behavior and food acceptance and the need for individualized diets to meet nutritional and therapeutic requirements.

Course Prerequisites/Co-requisites

Prerequisites for this course are DIT 121 - "Nutrition I", DIT 122 - "Nutrition II" or approval of instructor.

Course Obejectives

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Explain the role of modified diets in the therapy of the patient
• Apply the team concept of nutritional care in an institution
• Adapt the normal diet to specific therapeutic needs
• Calculate nutritive adequacy of a diet and prescribed nutrient and energy levels
• Explain disease states and types of diet prescribed for each
• Identify and define medical terminology


Major Topics to be Included

• Purposes of diet therapy
• Responsibilities of the nutritional care team
• The essentials of tray service
• Differences in patient needs related to cultural and economy background
• Nutritional assessment, nutritional screening, diet history and food preferences, nutritional counseling
• Medical terminology and vocabulary related to diet therapy, charting, and medical records
• Modification of the normal diet for various energy needs, textures, nutrients, and feeding methods
• Calculation of diabetic diets using the exchange lists
• Disease states and types of diets prescribed for each
• Heart disease, cancer, GI disturbances, hypertension
• Tube feedings and TPN
• Food and drug interactions
• Ethics in dietetic practice

 

Revised 2/2012


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