Competency statements specify what every dietitian should be able to do at the beginning of his or her practice career. The core competency statements build on appropriate knowledge and skills necessary for the entry-level practitioner to perform reliably at the performance level indicated. One or more of the emphasis areas has been added to the core competencies so that a supervised practice program can prepare graduates for identified market needs. Thus, all entry-level dietitians will have the core competencies and additional competencies according to the emphasis area completed.
The minimum performance level for the competency is indicated by the action verb used at the beginning of the statement. The action verbs reflect four levels of performance. The higher level of performance assumes the ability to perform at the lowest level.
- assist - independent performance under supervision or
participate - take part in team activities.
- perform - able to initiate activities without direct supervision, or
conduct - activities performed independently.
- consult - able to perform specialized functions that are discrete
delegated activities intended to improve the work of others, or
supervise - able to oversee daily operation of a unit including personnel, resource utilization, and environmental issues; or, coordinate and direct the activities of a team or project workgroup.
- manage - able to plan, organize, and direct an organization unit through actual or simulated experiences, including knowing what questions to ask.
CD1. Perform in accordance with the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics.
CD2. Refer clients/patients to other dietetic professionals or disciplines when a situation is beyond one's level or area of competence. (perform)
CD3. Participate in professional activities.
CD4. Perform self-assessment, prepare a portfolio for professional development, and participate in life-long learning activities.
CD5. Participate in legislative and public policy processes as they affect food, food security, nutrition and health care.
CD6. Use current technologies for information and communication activities. (perform)
CD7. Supervise documentation of nutrition assessment and interventions.
CD8. Provide dietetic education in supervised practice settings. (perform)
CD9. Supervise counseling, education and/or other interventions in health promotion/disease prevention for patient/clients needing medical nutrition therapy for common conditions, eg. hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and diverticular disease.
CD10. Supervise education and training for target groups.
CD11. Develop and review educational materials for target populations. (perform)
CD12. Participate in the use of mass media to promote food and nutrition.
CD13. Interpret and incorporate new scientific knowledge into practice. (perform)
CD14. Supervise quality improvements, including systems and customer satisfaction, for dietetics service and/or practice.
CD15. Develop and measure outcomes for food and nutrition services and practice. (perform)
CD16. Participate in organizational change and planning and goal-setting processes.
CD17. Participate in business or operating plan development.
CD18. Supervise the collection and processing of financial data.
CD19. Perform marketing functions.
CD20. Participate in human resources functions.
CD21. Participate in facility management, including equipment selection and design/redesign of work units.
CD22. Supervise the integration of financial, human, physical, and material resources and services.
CD23. Supervise production of food that meets nutrition guidelines, cost parameters, and consumer acceptance.
CD24. Supervise development and/or modification of recipes/formulas.
CD25. Supervise translation of nutrition into food/menus for target populations.
CD26. Supervise design of menus as indicated by the patient's/client's health status.
CD27. Participate in applied sensory evaluation of food and nutrition products.
CD28. Supervise procurement, distribution, and service within delivery system.
CD29. Manage safety and sanitation issues related to food and nutrition.
CD30. Supervise nutrition screening of individual patients/clients.
CD31. Supervise nutrition assessment of individual patients/clients with common medical conditions. eg, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, diverticular disease.
CD32. Assess nutritional status of individual patients/clients with complex medical conditions, ie. more complicated health conditions in select populations, eg, renal disease, multi-system organ failure, trauma.
CD33. Design and implement nutrition care plans as indicated by the patient's/client's health status (perform).
CD34. Manage monitoring of patient's/client's food and/or nutrient intake.
CD35. Select, implement, and evaluate standard enteral and parenteral nutrition regimens, ie, in a medically stable patient to meet nutritional requirements where recommendations/adjustments involve primarily macronutrients. (perform)
CD36. Develop and implement transitional feeding plans, ie, conversion from one form of nutrition support to another, eg, total parenteral nutrition to tube feeding to oral diet. (perform).
CD37. Coordinate and modify nutrition care activities among caregivers. (perform)
CD38. Conduct nutrition care component of interdisciplinary team conferences to discuss patient/client treatment and discharge planning.
CD39. Refer patients/clients to appropriate community services for general health and nutrition needs and to other primary care providers as appropriate. (perform)
CD40. Supervise screening of the nutritional status of the population and/or community groups.
CD41. Conduct assessment of the nutritional status of the population and/or community groups.
CD42. Provide nutrition care for people of diverse culture across the lifespan, ie, infants through geriatrics. (perform)
CD43. Conduct community-based health promotion/disease prevention programs.
CD44. Participate in community-based food and nutrition program development and evaluation.
CD45. Supervise community-based food and nutrition programs.
CD46. Participate in coding and billing of dietetics/nutrition services to obtain reimbursement for services from public or private insurers.
EMPHASIS AREAS
Community Emphasis competencies (CO)
CO1. Manage nutrition care for population groups across the lifespan.
CO2. Conduct community-based food and nutrition program outcome assessment/evaluation
CO3. Develop Community based food and nutrition programs (perform)
CO4. Participate in nutrition surveillance and monitoring of communities
CO5. Participate in community-based research.
CO6. Participate in food and nutrition policy development and evaluation based on community needs and resources.
CO7. Consult with organizations regarding food access for target populations
CO8. Develop a health promotion/disease prevention intervention project (perform)
CO9. Participate in waived point of care testing, e.g. hematocrit and cholesterol levels.
C10. Conduct general health assessment, e.g. blood pressure and vital signs.
