Topic 1: Skills And Competences In Nutrition And Dietetics

At the end of this unit, the learner should be able to:

  1. Explain the skills required in dietetics
  2. Explain the competencies required in nutrition and dietetics
Essential skills in dietetics

Dietitians need to possess a mature, confident and caring manner

Working with people and behavior change. When working one-on-one or in small groups you must be friendly and approachable in your correspondence. In addition it is important to understand and practice the theories of health promotion. For example, the Trans theoretical Model classifies people into five stages of change. By utilizing these theories when working with people you can best determine how to help them with their nutrition goals.

Computer skills (Basic IT skills). Nutrition jobs require work on a computer and often the Internet. You will be required to create spreadsheets, keep track of client information, use software to analyze the nutritional content of foods and develop meal plans, utilize email, get involved with web-based social media, and conduct informational research on the computer.

Organizational skills. These jobs are demanding. They require work outside the normal work day, and many involve several types of duties labeled under one position title. It may consultations with colleagues, research to conduct, papers to write among other responsibilities so time management and proper organization is key.

Research translation. Employment in the nutrition field often requires that you put complicated research findings and technical nutrition information into a form that can be understood by those not familiar with the field.

The ability to interact well with people from a wide range of backgrounds