Dietitians in nutrition therapy on hospital wards
Who they are, what they do and which devices they use: a research-based profile for recruiting this target group for MedTech and pharma projects.
Overview
Dietitians support healthy and sick people with nutrition questions and work in hospitals in individual nutrition therapy and in food service management. They first record eating habits and life circumstances, agree goals with patients and work out ways to achieve them. Their activities include individual counselling, group education and support with artificial nutrition. In a survey by the professional association, respondents from all work settings mainly named individual counselling as a focus, followed by group education, prevention and treatment of malnutrition, screening and assessment, and nutrition support. In food service management they coordinate with the wards and check meal requests against the diet prescribed by the physician. In doing so they work closely with physicians and nursing staff.
Profession by country
Fields of use and typical tasks
normal Station
Evidence from: DE, AT, CH
- Create individually tailored nutrition therapies for the hospital's patients (evidence: nutrition team of a university hospital)
- Advise on conditions with nutritional problems, for example before or after chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery
- Keep body weight stable, prevent malnutrition and improve nutrient supply
- Select and adapt suitable foods
- Use oral nutritional supplements when normal food does not cover requirements
- In individual cases plan enteral nutrition via a gastric tube or parenteral nutrition via a vein in interdisciplinary coordination
Specializations
Devices and systems they use
Who they work with
- Physicians
- Nursing staff
- Psychologists
- Social workers
- Food service assistants
- Nutrition scientists
Frequently asked questions
What does the group do most often?
In the professional association's 2020 survey, respondents from all work settings, not only inpatient care, most often named individual counselling on dietary topics (67 percent), followed by group education (32 percent) and prevention and treatment of malnutrition (31 percent). The survey gives no separate figures for wards on this question.
How often does the group deal with tube or parenteral nutrition?
Nutrition support with enteral or parenteral nutrition was named as a focus by 15 percent of respondents from all work settings, screening and assessment of malnutrition by 19 percent.
Who does the group work with?
Respondents from all work settings most often named physicians (83 percent) and nursing staff (61 percent), and also other therapy professions, psychologists and graduates in nutrition science. The figures do not refer to hospitals only.
Does every hospital have a nutrition team?
No. According to the survey, 43 percent of the respondents' inpatient institutions have a nutrition team and a further 10 percent were planning to set one up.
How large are the teams?
80 percent of respondents from all work settings report 1 to 5 dietitians per institution or practice, 17 percent report 6 to 15. The survey gives no separate figures for hospitals.
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Sources
- Was machen Diätassistenten?, Verband der Diätassistenten, Deutscher Bundesverband e.V. (VDD) (DE)
- Berufs- und Tätigkeitsfeldanalyse der Diätassistenten 2020, Ernährungs Umschau 12/2020, Verband der Diätassistenten (VDD), erschienen in Ernährungs Umschau (DE)
- Ernährungsteam, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München (DE)
- Ernährungstherapie in der Klinik, Verband der Diätassistenten, Deutscher Bundesverband e.V. (VDD) (DE)
- Diätologie (Medizinisch-technische Dienste), Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder Graz (AT)
- Berufsbild, Diaetologie Austria, Verband der Diaetolog*innen Österreichs (AT)
- Der Diaetologische Prozess, Diaetologie Austria, Verband der Diaetolog*innen Österreichs (AT)
- Ernährungsberatung / Ernährungstherapie, Universitätsspital Zürich (CH)
- Therapieangebot Ernährungsberatung, Universitätsspital Zürich (CH)
- Ernährungsberatung als Beruf, Schweizerischer Verband der Ernährungsberater/innen (SVDE ASDD) (CH)
- 42 CFR 482.28, Condition of participation: Food and dietetic services, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, National Archives / Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (US)
- Dietitians and Nutritionists, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (US)