Dietetics

These inherent requirements apply to the following course: Master of Dietetics.

Prospective and current students who are concerned about their capacities in relation to the inherent requirements are strongly encouraged to contact the CDU Access and Inclusion team to discuss possible adjustments or alternative courses.

E: inclusion@cdu.edu.au

These inherent requirements should be read in conjunction with other course information and related material such as the Code of Conduct for Dietitians and Nutritionists,  and Dietitians Australia National Competency Standards. 

There are eight domains of inherent requirements for the Master of Dietetics. Some domains have several sub-domains.

Each domain has five levels: 

1. Introduction
2. Description
3. Justification
4. Adjustments
5. Exemplars  

Acting in ways consistent with the recognised values of society and avoiding activities that do harm.
In the context of inherent requirements, students undertaking a course of study may be governed by practice standards and codes of ethics.

1. Introduction
   Dietetics is a profession governed by a Code of Conduct for Dietitians and Nutritionists, 
   whereby Dietitians are both accountable and responsible for ensuring professional behaviour in all contexts. 
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates knowledge of, and engages in, ethical behaviour in practice. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Compliance with the codes, guidelines and standards facilitates safe, competent  
   interactions and relationships for students and/or the people with whom they engage. This  
   ensures the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of individuals and communities is not placed at risk. 
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must not compromise codes of conduct or result in unethical behaviour. 
5. Exemplars:
   • Complying with academic and non-academic misconduct policies
   • Complying with medico-legal requirements relating to informed consent, privacy, and confidentiality with client information in academic and clinical settings 
   • Demonstrating ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and takes responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour. 

The maintenance of conduct that is acceptable and appropriate, according to the recognised norms of society over a given period.

1. Introduction
   Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in a demanding role. 
2. Description of inherent requirement 
   Student demonstrates behavioural stability to work constructively in a diverse and changing academic and practice environment.
3. Justification of Inherent requirement 
   Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in changing and unpredictable environments. Dietetic students will be exposed to health care contexts in which they will encounter human suffering and will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events objectively and professionally. 
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must support stable, effective, and professional behaviour in both academic and practice settings. 
5. Exemplars:
   • Critically reflect on practice, being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive feedback 
   • Coping effectively with own emotions and behaviour when working with individuals and other stakeholders in service settings.

Related to the law. In the context of inherent requirements, this refers to the legal requirements of professional bodies relevant to specific courses of study.

1. Introduction
   Dietetic practice is mandated by specific legislation to enable the safe delivery of care and services. 
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates knowledge and compliance with Australian Law, professional regulations, and scope of practice. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary prerequisites for practice placements to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements. 
5. Exemplars:
   • Complying with the policies and requirements of placement organisations
   • Complying with professional code of practice. 

Verbal communication: Conveying messages, ideas, or feelings through speech.

1. Introduction
   Effective and efficient verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe practise. 
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates:
   • Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences
   • The ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner
   • The ability to communicate effectively in the context of the situation
   • The ability to provide timely clear feedback and reporting.
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy to others, develops trusting relationships. It is a requirement to be able to elicit information, educate and advise others. 
   Speed and interactivity of communication may be critical for individual safety or treatment.
   Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is essential in dietetics.
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments for impaired verbal communication must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity, and accuracy issues to ensure safety 
5. Exemplars:
   • Actively participating in tutorial, simulation, and clinical discussions 
   • Establishing rapport with individuals and their families and responding appropriately to internal and external stakeholders in health and community organisations. 

Non-verbal communication: Communication other than speech that conveys meaning including gestures and facial expressions, body posture, stance, touch, eye movements, eye contact and distance from the person/s with whom you are communicating. Non-verbal cues can provide significant additional information to the person with whom you are communicating.

1. Introduction
   Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to dietetic practice and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic, honest, and non-judgmental. 
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates the capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to non-verbal and behavioural cues. This includes consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships and required for safe and effective practice.  This includes displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time, boundaries and body movements and gestures to promote trust. Being sensitive to individual and/or cultural differences, displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships.
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of or appropriate response to, effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner.
5. Exemplars:
   • Recognising and responding appropriately in the academic environment 
   • Responding professionally to requests from individuals, groups, supervisors, and all stakeholders in dietetic practice settings
   • Recognising and responding appropriately to non-verbal cues in the practice environment. 

Written communication: Communication by written symbols including electronic means, print or handwriting.

1. Introduction
   Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental dietetic responsibility to convey information and provide consistent and safe dietetic practice.  
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates:
   • Capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances
   • The capacity to use a range of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to complete academic assessment requirements. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Construction of nutrition education resources and reports are required to meet industry standards.  Accurate written communication, including record-keeping and clinical notes, is vital to provide consistent and safe care and service.  
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy, and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and practice settings. 
5. Exemplars:
   • Constructing an essay to academic standards 
   • Documenting clinical notes, reports and information in a timely manner that meets professional standards 
   • Developing and adapting nutrition education resources that meet professional standards in accordance with client needs. 

The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through one's thoughts, experience, and senses.

Knowledge and cognitive skills: Acquired skills that reflect an individual's ability to think. Cognitive skills include verbal and spatial abilities, concentration, memory, perception, reasoning, planning and organisation, flexible thinking, and problem solving.

1. Introduction
   Consistent and effective knowledge and cognitive skills must be demonstrated to provide safe and competent dietetic practice.
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates:  
   • Capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information 
   • Ability to process information relevant to practice
   • Ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice in a timely manner.
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Safe and effective delivery of dietetic practice is based on comprehensive knowledge that is sourced, understood, and applied appropriately. 
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded. 
5. Exemplars:
   • Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items
   • Applying knowledge of theory, research evidence, policy, and procedures in practice settings. 

Literacy (language): This relates to the ability to acquire, understand, and apply information in a scholarly manner.

1. Introduction
   Competent literacy skills, in English, are essential to provide safe and effective dietetic practice. 
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates: 
   • The ability to acquire information and accurately convey appropriate, effective messages 
   • The ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information 
   • The capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner.
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment, and delivery of care in dietetic practice. The ability to read, decode, interpret, and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective delivery care.
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments to address literacy issues must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply, and communicate accurate information.
5. Exemplars:
   • Demonstrating the ability to convey a spoken message clearly and accurately 
   • Paraphrasing, summarising, and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments
   • Interpreting information in formats that include hand-written text, printed text, electronic text, graphs, and diagrams. 

Numeracy: This relates to the ability to understand and work with numbers.

1. Introduction
   Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for safe and effective care. 
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student interprets and correctly applies data, measurements, and numerical criteria.
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Competent application of numeracy skills is essential to facilitate the safe and effective delivery of dietetic practice.  
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply concepts and processes appropriately in a timely, accurate and effective manner.
5. Exemplars:
   • Interpreting numerical data in specific formats
   • Analysing food composition and nutrient intake data
   • Analysing anthropometric and body composition data
   • Using and calculating primary and secondary sources of data such as; anthropometric measurements, nutrition requirements, enteral/ parenteral formula regimes, and therapeutic diet prescriptions.

The way a person recognises external stimuli - through sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.

Visual 

1. Introduction
   Adequate visual acuity is required to provide safe and effective dietetic care. 
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of skills.
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Sufficient visual acuity is necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks, and assessments to maintain consistent, accurate and safe care of self and others. Visual observations, examination and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective dietetic care. 
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in the practice setting. Any strategies to address the effects of the vision impairment must be effective, consistent, and not compromise safety or treatment. 
5. Exemplars:
   • Applying food composition, food serving size, food preparation and therapeutic nutrient modification knowledge to review and modify dietary intakes of individuals and plan menus
   • Conducting quality improvement projects within acute and community healthcare settings, food service systems and public health nutrition settings
   • Recognising and responding appropriately to cues during client interviews and broader stakeholder engagement activities.  

Auditory 

1. Introduction
   Adequate auditory acuity is required to provide safe and effective dietetic care. 
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates sufficient aural function to undertake the required range of skills. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement:  
   Sufficient auditory ability is necessary to monitor, assess and manage an individual’s health/ care needs consistently and accurately; and to practice within a busy food service environment. 
4. Adjustments 
   Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the hearing impairment must be effective, consistent, and not compromise treatment or safety. 
5. Exemplars:
   • Listening and interpreting information from clients, carers, groups, and key stakeholders 
   • Participating in group discussions and multidisciplinary team meetings in simulated and health care settings. 

Tactile: 

1. Introduction
   Adequate tactile ability is required to perform competent and safe dietetic practice. 
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates sufficient tactile function to undertake the required range of skills and assessments.
3. Justification of inherent requirement: 
   Adequate tactile ability is necessary to assess and monitor an individual’s physical characteristics within nutrition and dietetic assessment processes. 
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must enable the capacity to make effective assessments of physical characteristics and health issues within safe time frames.
5. Exemplars: 
   • Performing accurate physical, anthropometric and body composition assessment. 

Gross motor skills: The use of large muscle groups that coordinate body movements for activities such as walking, lifting, pushing, pulling, and maintaining balance.
Fine motor skills: The ability to undertake precise coordinated movements of the hands for activities such as writing and manipulating small objects.

1. Introduction
   Dietetics is a profession that requires the use of gross and fine motor skills.
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates the ability to perform motor skills to function within scope of practice. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Sufficient motor skills are necessary to perform the required level of care/service safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others. Tasks that involve gross motor skills include moving throughout acute and ambulatory healthcare settings, food service systems and public health nutrition settings. Fine motor skills include manipulation of measuring equipment, using hand-eye coordination to perform tasks, and performing physical assessments.
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments should facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate care. 
5. Exemplars:
   • Gross-motor skills: movement around equipment in confined spaces (eg kitchens, hospital wards, body composition laboratories, science laboratories) and capacity to mobilise safely in a variety of environments
   • Fine motor skills: perform body composition assessment, anthropometric assessment, and food measurements. 

The ability to undertake a task/s over a pre-determined length of time. This could include physical performance such as standing for a length of time, or cognitive (mental) performance such as concentrating for a particular length of time.

1. Introduction
   Dietetic practice requires physical, mental, and emotional performance at a consistent sustained level over extended periods of time.  
2. Description of inherent requirement
   Student demonstrates consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time. Student demonstrates the mental and emotional skills to concentrate and focus on multiple tasks for an assigned period to prioritise and enable safe and effective dietetic practice. 
3. Justification of inherent requirement
   Sufficient physical, mental, and emotional endurance is an essential requirement needed to  
   perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective dietetic care.
4. Adjustments
   Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period.  
5. Exemplars:
   • Consistent concentration and participation in tutorials, lectures, and skills throughout the day 
   • Performing multiple tasks in an assigned period with a level of concentration that ensures capacity to complete tasks appropriately 
   • Demonstrating consistent concentration throughout classroom simulations and whilst on work-integrated learning placements.