Definition
The therapeutic dietitian role is associated with the great importance of food in helping doctors treat many diseases. Especially chronic diseases such as “heart disease, kidneys, diabetes, and obesity,” so large hospitals are keen to have a dietitian in all departments.
Who is a therapeutic dietitian?
He is responsible for assessing the patient’s nutritional status, planning an integrated diet, and following up on implementing this system.
The dietitian must be theoretically and practically qualified; his role is highlighted alongside doctors in hospitals, clinics, and medical centers to help treat diseases.
Therapeutic Dietitian whereabouts
As a therapeutic dietitian, you can work in many places where you always need your services, including:
• Hospitals, Maternity, and child care centers, Institutions for the disabled, Hostels and boarding sections of schools and universities, restaurants, and food factories.
The dietitian’s relationship with doctors
There is no doubt that the planned diet provided to the patient plays a crucial role in preventing chronic diseases. Hence, doctors need to cooperate with a dietitian, especially in hospitals.
Although the doctor is primarily responsible for diagnosing and treating the patient’s condition, the diet provided by the specialist is essential in treating patients, so the doctor’s understanding of the specialist’s role and importance is critical to both.
At the same time, the specialist should be aware that the doctor is the medical team leader for the patient’s treatment, which includes assistant doctors, nurses, dietitians, laboratory workers, and radiologists, who work following their instructions and advice.
The doctor’s role is to diagnose and treat the patient’s condition. The specialist helps the doctor treat patients by developing appropriate nutritional programs depending on the situation.
In short, the cooperation and coordination between the specialist and the doctor govern the relationship between them. It is in the interests of both the institution and the patient.
Dietitian’s duties
Doctors and health officials in local and international countries and organizations always call for the need to standardize the job description of the therapeutic dietitian by identifying his tasks, the most important of which are:
1. cooperation with doctors in hospitals, clinics, and medical centers
2. preparation of different diets depending on the type, age, and weight of the patient
3. follow-up of food services for patients
4. awareness of obesity, diabetes, and angina
5. working in scientific research
6. analysis of food and its components and recognition of its damages and benefits
7. food advisory
8. educating the community by highlighting the role of therapeutic nutrition
9. determining diets for hypnotic patients
10. assessment of the patient’s nutritional status such as medical and nutritional history, pathological signs, and laboratory tests
Therapeutic Dietitian’s Job Requirements
It may come to mind after knowing the most important tasks of the specialist that this function is straightforward, can be done effortlessly. Still, the dietitian must study this science in both theoretical and practical ways, in addition to some skills that must be available in it, including:
Explore all the axes of science in a practical and theoretical way
Study of biochemistry and human physiology
Learn how to deal with recent tests and data analysis
Mastery of dealing especially psychologically with patients
Interest in critical and scientific research
Having teamwork skills
Obtaining a certified and certified scientific certificate
Having experience through practical reality
Training Courses
One of the necessary conditions for a professional specialist is specialization and practical experience to obtain a license to practice the profession.
Therefore, a student of practical colleges such as medicine or agriculture may receive a degree but at the same time lack practical experience because most universities and colleges do not provide practical training to their students.
On the other hand, someone may find themselves able to specialize, so they need a degree. And also, practical experience to get a license to do the job.
Hence the idea of scientific centers and educational academies, which provide theoretical material and practical applications, and allow their graduates to obtain accredited and documented certificates from international and governmental bodies, paving the way for them to work legally in the field in the largest hospitals and treatment centers
