Adequate nutrition is essential for survival. Unfortunately, several circumstances and medical conditions render many patients unable to meet their nutritional needs by eating. Nutrition support can be provided using the gastrointestinal tract, with a feeding tube into your stomach or small intestine, or intravenously with a needle. Nutrition support dietitians are experts in making it possible for patients to achieve and sustain a good nutritional status when the patient is unable to do so alone.
Education
Nutrition support is a specialty in which registered dietitians can excel. Generally, it is preferable for the dietitian to become a certified nutrition support clinician (CNSC). This is an additional credential achieved from the National Board of Nutrition Support Certification, Inc. A passing score on a national board exam is required to obtain this credential. A dietitian with at least one to two years of experience working in a hospital makes a good candidate to become a nutrition support dietitian. Continuing education and re-certification requirements are beneficial in keeping every nutrition support dietitian's knowledge and practices current and up-to-date.
Responsibilities
Dietitians work with other nutrition support professionals, such as physicians, pharmacists and nurses. A nutrition support dietitian assesses each patient to develop and implement a nutrition plan of care. Some nutrition support dietitians even place their own feeding tubes. The patient's tolerance to the nutrition regimen is closely monitored and adjusted as needed. Fluid balance, protein needs, electrolytes and gastrointestinal function are some of the monitoring parameters that a nutrition support dietitian follows.
Significance
A wide variety of patients benefit from nutrition support. It can sustain a cancer patient through treatment, nourish individuals who cannot swallow after a stroke and feed people on life support. A nutrition support regimen can be short term (days) or long term (years, even decades). A nutrition support dietitian is capable of developing a plan to meet 100 percent of a person's nutrition requirements.
Where Nutrition Support Dietitians are Located
A majority of nutrition support dietitians work in hospitals. Home health agencies also hire nutrition support dietitians for ongoing management of clients who no longer require hospitalization.
