Registered dietitians’ use of physical assessment parameters in professional practice

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Consensus Malnutrition Characteristics

“…Performing nutrition focused physical assessment is increasing among RDs. Compared to the 1995 and 2000 Dietetics Practice Audits, Mackle and colleagues in 2003 demonstrated greater use of physical assessment parameters by RDs 25 …”

A Novel Approach to Oral Health Assessment Training for Dietitians in Long-Term Care Settings in Israel

“…The authors found independent associations between malnutrition and dental and oral conditions including masticatory problems. 15 The results of studies with practicing registered dietitians evaluating the use of nutrition-focused physical assessment (NFPA), including oral assessment, [19][20][21] suggest that, overall, US registered dietitians lack knowledge, confidence, and training opportunities to conduct NFPA. [6][7][8][9] Interprofessional health care practices have been developed that address integration of oral and nutrition screening, assessment, and training as roles for nursing, dietetics, and oral health care practitioners.…”

“…Despite these findings and the critical role the integrity of the oral cavity has in respect to the ability to eat and drink, studies have found that primary care providers place little emphasis on nutrition and oral care management in long-term care facilities. [19][20][21] Registered dietitians who had hands on training in NFPA, including oral health assessment, performed NFPA skills more frequently than those who did not report prior training. [10][11][12] Prior research has revealed that training programs, 4 hours and longer, have resulted in significant improvements in nurses' accuracy in patient oral health assessment and for changing oral health care procedures.…”

“…[6][7][8][9] Interprofessional health care practices have been developed that address integration of oral and nutrition screening, assessment, and training as roles for nursing, dietetics, and oral health care practitioners. 20,21 However, to the best knowledge of these authors, no published research has investigated the changes in knowledge and practices of dietitians working in geriatric care following training on NPFA in the United States or Israel. [13][14][15][16][17][18] Paulsson et al 17 and Munoz et al 15 found that targeted education programs for nurses can improve knowledge and implementation of oral health care programs 17 and documentation of oral health issues.…”

Perceived Needs for Graduate Level Clinical Nutrition Education for Registered Dietitians

“…Increasingly, RDs are incorporating advancing levels of physical assessment into their practice including: skin assessment, dysphagia screening, blood pressure, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and glucose/hemoglobin/cholesterol testing via finger stick 23 as a result of evolving roles and responsibilities. 23 Clinical Management also continues to be increasingly demanding for RDs as regulatory agencies, such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), continue to change performance standards and demand a higher level of clinical accountability. 24 Pratt et al explored the perceived job importance of clinical managers; results showed that 75% of the respondents either had or were in the process of pursuing a graduate degree.…”