Nutrition Education and Counselling
Overview
This unit will prepare students for professional practice in dietetics. It will focus on building the foundation for competent practice, including: communication and counselling skills, the nutrition care process, nutrition assessment and nutrition diagnosis and self-reflection. It will also provide students with an understanding of the scope of practice, attitudes, skills and behaviour required of healthcare professionals in relation to patients, the public and fellow professionals as well as the National Competency Standards for Dietitians in Australia.
Requisites
Rules
Pre-requisite
50 cp in MA-DIET Master of Dietetics
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Document and apply the nutrition care process for individuals, including nutrition assessment, diagnosis, intervention and monitoring/evaluation as applied to individuals, groups and/or populations
- Collect and interpret relevant food and nutrition related history of individuals
- Conduct and apply basic anthropometry measurements to known reference ranges
- Evaluate the strengths and limitations of commonly used anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary assessment tools
- Utilise counselling skills as applied to dietetic case management in both one-on-one and group sessions, and self-reflect on performance
- Translate nutrition scientific knowledge and principles in practical information for individuals, the general public and other health professionals
- Demonstrate the attitudes, skills and behaviour required of healthcare professionals in relation to patients, the public and fellow professionals
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Class | 3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
| On-campus Class | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Specified Activities Various | 3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 5.50 | 12 weeks | 66 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1 | Individual | 30% | 1,6 |
| Assignment 2 | Individual | 50% | 1,2,4,6 |
| Practical Examination | Individual | 0% | 1,2,3,5,7 |
| e-Portfolio | Individual | 20% | 5,7 |
| Assignment 1 | Individual | 30% | 1,5,6,7 |
| Assignment 2 | Individual | 20% | 6 |
| Practical Examination | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3,5,6,7 |
| e-Portfolio | Individual | 10% | 4,5,7 |
Content
- Nutrition Care Process including International Dietetic and Nutrition Terminology
- Dietary assessment tools and methodology
- Nutrition assessment tools and practice
- Anthropometric measures used in dietetic practice
- Communication and counselling skills for behaviour change at the individual or group levels
- Dietetic scope of practice and professional skills
- National Competency Standards for Dietitians in Australia
- Reflective practice skills
- Self-care
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.