XNB346 Nutrition Therapy Counselling and Practice 1
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | XNB346 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | XNB148 and XNB149 and XNB250 and XNB251 and XNB252 and LQB481 and LQB488 |
| Corequisite(s): | XNB345 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,192 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,704 |
| International unit fee | $5,784 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | XNB346 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | XNB148 and XNB149 and XNB250 and XNB251 and XNB252 and LQB481 and LQB488 |
| Co-requisite: | XNB345 |
| Coordinator: | Kristine Szylkarski | kristinesmith.szylkarski@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This medical nutrition therapy unit explores the role of the dietitian across a range of settings. You will be introduced to the theory and practical application of evidence informed client centred nutrition care when treating nutrition related chronic disease conditions. The unit will focus on the application of the nutrition care process (assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation) across a range of contexts. Throughout the unit you will continue to develop your advanced theoretical, technical, social and cultural knowledge and skills in food, nutrition and dietetics, and your capacity to tailor your response as appropriate to a diverse range of contexts and audiences to deliver culturally safe care.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Apply the Nutrition Care Process to design client-centred nutrition care using food-based strategies for selected nutrition-related conditions in diverse social and cultural contexts.
- Analyse, reflect on and integrate evidence-based research with relevant nutrition related information from a range of sources, and considering diverse perspectives
- Communicate complex food and nutrition information (including the diet-disease relationship) using culturally safe and inclusive approaches for diverse individuals or groups
- Plan, develop, deliver and reflect on evidence- based, client centred, culturally safe and responsive nutrition interventions, working autonomously and collaboratively across diverse contexts.
- Apply principles of professionalism, ethical conduct, reflection and effective teamwork when engaging in collaborative activities, professional practice and in interprofessional learning contexts
Content
This unit will cover the use of contemporary tools in evidence based nutrition and dietetic practice and the application of the nutrition care process for the generation of tailored, practical food based advice in the nutritional management of disease. Topics covered will include:
- The nutritional professional scope of practice and self-care
- The nutrition care process
- Nutrition screening, assessment and monitoring techniques
- Implementation of national lifestyle recommendation
- Communication and counselling techniques, for individuals and groups
- Diet-related chronic diseases
- Allergies and intolerances
-
Health care models, integrated care and inter-disciplinary teams
Learning Approaches
Your learning in this unit will be facilitated on campus with experiential and collaborative activities and self directed engagement with weekly readings and online learning material. The on campus sessions will include
- tutorials
- workshops
- food laboratories
- simulation clinics
- case studies
- Work Integrated Learning (WIL) activities (including site visits and observations in Queensland Health facilities and the QUT Health clinics).
The quality of your learning within this unit will be dependent upon your engagement with the content and its application to case studies and preparation for assessment items in the experiential sessions. Your learning from this unit will contribute to the development of your professional practice.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
In experiential activities you will receive formative feedback from your peers and academic staff. Reflections on your learning will be shared with the group and your tutor will also provide comments and opportunities for group discussion so that you can gauge your understanding of the content. You will receive written summative feedback and evaluation using a rubric on summative assessment.
Assessment
Overview
Assignment information included on Canvas provides detailed criteria and tasks for completion of the assignment which you can check your work against to ensure all aspects are completed. Formative assessment in the form of case studies will identify areas needing improvement prior to the completion of the final assessment.
In this unit, you will reflect on careers, and scope of practice in nutrition science and nutrition and dietetics. You will also add items (artefacts) you create in Assessment 2, to your whole of course Leadership in Nutrition Practice ePortfolio, to showcase your excellence as a culturally safe, evidenced based, entrepreneurial practitioner in nutrition. While you do this, you are encouraged to reflect on your materials you deposited in first year, for example XNB149 Nutrition Communication, and your growth as a scientist and communicator in nutrition.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Clinical Reasoning in Nutrition Case Studies
This written assessment will require completion of two case studies demonstrating the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the application of the nutrition care process.
This is an authentic assessment: these tasks will follow the standardised structured process used by dietitians to evaluate the nutrition problems of individual clients and will involve making a detailed assessment of anthropometric, biochemical, physiological and nutrition data and result in the development of a nutrition intervention and monitoring plan suitable for the client. These case studies will include a variety of social, cultural and religious contexts and the medical conditions explored in online learning modules, food-based workshops and the activities undertaken in field experiences. You will receive detailed feedback on your first case study that will assist you in the development of your critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the second more complex case study. The case studies will be presented in a structured template to guide the nutrition care process.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details page for specific guidelines.
Assessment: Nutrition practice portfolio
You will complete a portfolio of evidence demonstrating delivery of, and reflection on, preparation and delivery of nutrition education in a group setting. The portfolio will include 4 components - a video of you delivering a nutrition education session, your reflection on your delivery, your reflection on your peer's delivery, and a reflection on your WIL experience and the role of a dietitian in practice.
You will include a 10-minute video recording of yourself delivering a nutrition education session to a target group (audience) plus a written reflection based on your performance and the written structured feedback on your performance provided to you by a student peer.
You will provide a reflection on your peer's delivery of a nutrition education session. You will act as a member of the audience for the nutrition education session of a student peer and provide written structured feedback on their performance and include this in your portfolio.
You will attend a WIL session and provide a reflection on your experience and the role of the dietitian in the setting you attended.
This is an authentic assessment: planning and presenting a group education session simulates a mode of nutrition education delivery regularly required of nutrition professionals to respond to diverse client groups in a range of community, social and cultural contexts and will provide an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the nutrition care process and the application of practical food based advice to an appropriate audience. The topics for the education session will be based on common nutrition issues for diverse client groups, including a variety of social and cultural contexts. You will use culturally safe communication theory and knowledge of the nutrition problems and conditions explored in lectures, food-based workshops and the activities undertaken in field experiences.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details page for specific guidelines.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Requirements to Study
Requirements
You will be required to meet mandatory requirements including those for vaccination and suitability for working with special groups, please see the Workplace Integrated Learning website for further details.
Blue Card
A blue card is required to complete this unit. A blue card confirms that you have passed a screening of your criminal history (the Working with Children Check) and have been approved to work with children and young people. For more information on the blue card and how to apply please visit the QUT website.
Costs
There are costs associated with your field trips including travel, mandatory Queensland Health immunisations and mask fitting.
Resources
Please note the books purchased for this unit will be used in XNB347 and XNH348, across your professional practice placements in the 4th year and in your early working career.
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Holli, B., and Beto, J. (2023). Communication and education skills for dietetics professionals (8th edition) Jones and Bartlett
Raymond, J. and Morrow, K. (Editors). (2022). Krause and Mahan's food and the nutrition care process (16th edition) St Louis, MO Elsevier/Saunders.
Stewart, R. (Editor). (2022). Handbook of clinical nutrition and dietetics. (7th edition). Newstead, Brisbane, Australian Dietitian.
Recommended text(s)
Escott-Stump (2022) Nutrition and Diagnosis-related Care (9th edition) Chicago IL, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Risk Assessment Statement
As noted above, assessment for this unit will involve a workplace-based assignment. You are expected to be aware of and abide by the health and safety requirements of the workplace. You are also expected to undergo any induction or other training provided in the workplace for employees or visitors to the workplace as appropriate.
This unit will involve workshop classes that will be held in a food laboratory area. You will be required to attend the induction session at the commencement of the semester where the safety precautions to be observed while working in the laboratory will be outlined. You are required to read the laboratory safety manual and sign the form indicating that you have read and understood the material contained in the manual. You are required to wear the prescribed safety and hygiene clothing at all lab-based sessions. For the purposes of this requirement, you must wear safe flat, closed in footwear, a long-sleeved chef's jacket, and protective headwear a hair net. Hair nets will be provided in class.
In addition, substantial computer-based work will be required.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.XN45 Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours)
- Apply advanced theoretical, technical and cultural knowledge and skills in food, nutrition and dietetics, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, tailored to respond to a diverse range of contexts and audiences.
Relates to: Clinical Reasoning in Nutrition Case Studies, Nutrition practice portfolio - Critically analyse and apply evidence-based research and practice to generate informed, client-centred and sustainable solutions to complex current and emerging food, nutrition and dietetic problems.
Relates to: Clinical Reasoning in Nutrition Case Studies, Nutrition practice portfolio - Communicate and translate complex food and nutrition information effectively, safely and inclusively using a range of oral, written and digital technologies and formats, responsive to the diverse cultural, social and cognitive needs of clients, interdisciplinary teams, stakeholders and the broader community.
Relates to: Clinical Reasoning in Nutrition Case Studies, Nutrition practice portfolio - Enact inclusive, clinically adept and culturally responsive client-centred practice as a reflective, accountable and ethical professional, working autonomously and collaboratively to manage and lead innovative and entrepreneurial advances in food, nutrition and dietetics.
Relates to: Clinical Reasoning in Nutrition Case Studies, Nutrition practice portfolio - Conduct research with some independence that challenges, advances, builds capacity and assures quality in food, nutrition and dietetic practice, disseminating findings with individuals, interdisciplinary teams, stakeholders and communities.
Relates to: Clinical Reasoning in Nutrition Case Studies