Practice Application
Topics of Professional Interest
The Time Is Now: A Blueprint for Simulation in Dietetics Education

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A Rationale for the Application of Simulation Methodology to Dietetics Education

Simulation methodology has been successfully applied to a myriad of health education topics, including, but not limited to, inter-professional communications, interdisciplinary teamwork, critical thinking skills, basic nursing skills, pre- and postsurgical care management, adolescent medicine, physical therapy, obstetric emergencies, infection control, cardiac life support, rural primary care, medical nutrition therapy, nutrition counseling, and nutrition care planning.1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Current Use of Simulation in Dietetics Education

Nursing and medical education have used simulation as an education tool for decades; however, simulation has not been commonly used, or at least has not been commonly reported, in dietetics education.3, 8, 19, 25, 36, 40, 43 Limited research is available regarding the use and effectiveness of simulation methodology in dietetics education, although existing studies suggest favorable outcomes.19, 20, 40, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 Minimal published data are available to describe the attitudes and skills

Transferability of Simulation Methodology Developed in Nursing Education Settings to Dietetics Education

Simulation methodology has been heavily explored in the nursing literature, and simulation is an integral component of contemporary nursing education.28 The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has described simulation as a tool that can be used to teach knowledge and skills, as well as to measure proficiency in the clinical use of acquired knowledge and skills.58 Dietetics and nursing are both competency-based disciplines, and thus share similarities that may be addressed by the

Essentials of Simulation

Decker and colleagues43 concluded that three requirements are necessary for the development and implementation of simulations that allow students to demonstrate basic competencies in the health professions: first, instructors’ acquisition of a theoretical understanding of simulation methodology along with the skills to use the methodology; second, development of realistic simulation scenarios that address desired competencies; and third, evaluation of developed scenarios for validity and

Jeffries’s 5-Step Process for the Design of Simulations and Possible Applications to Dietetics Education

In a seminal article, Jeffries25 proposed, developed, and described a five-component framework for designing simulated nursing education experiences. First, appropriate objectives should be specified. Appropriate objectives are based on students’ current levels of knowledge and performance, are measurable, are bounded within a suitable time frame, and describe how student performance will be evaluated.25, 29

Second, regardless of fidelity level, simulations should seek to emulate reality to the

Conclusions

Severe pressure on dietetics education programs to respond to the difficulty of obtaining preceptors and supervised practice sites may prompt some educators to use simulation as an expedient method of compensating for inadequate resources. However, simulation is a complex instructional methodology that should be integrated into existing curricular structures with deliberation, and given a timeframe generous enough to allow for gradual implementation and thorough evaluation to ensure program

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      Simulations help address increased complexity of health care, higher patient-acuity levels and patient safety. Consistency in students’ simulated experiences can enhance the quality of patient care.116,118,119 Learners can make mistakes in simulated scenarios, learn from their mistakes, and rehearse clinical behaviors in a low-risk environment, thus decreasing harm to patients.115-117,119,120

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    This article was written by Kyle L. Thompson, MS, RD, certified nutrition support clinician, and senior lecturer and director, Dietetic Internship, and Melissa D. Gutschall, PhD, RD, LDN, assistant professor and director, Didactic Program in Dietetics, Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.

    STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

    FUNDING/SUPPORT This research was supported by two Dean’s Research Stipends from the College of Health Sciences, Appalachian State University, in the total amount of $10,000.

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