Victory for RDNs in Long-Term Care

From the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics

Victory for RDNs in Long-Term Care FacilitiesThe Academy scored a significant achievement when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a proposed regulation that will allow registered dietitian nutritionists in long-term care facilities to prescribe patient diets, in accordance with state law. The Academy will carefully review the proposed regulation and will work closely with the Dietitians in Health Care Communities dietetic practice group and other experts to flesh out details and submit input to CMS.

When we first achieved success in allowing hospital RDNs to order therapeutic diets, we assured members we were continuing to work diligently to enable long-term care RDNs to order them as well. Members will have significant new opportunities to work autonomously, and the rule recognizes both the variation in oversight in facilities and the fact that RDNs “are well qualified to assess a resident’s nutritional status and design and implement a nutritional treatment plan in consultation with the resident’s interdisciplinary team.”

This development fulfills a priority of the Board to work “with CMS to assure consistent application and uniformity in interpretation of the regulation concerning nutrition supplements and therapeutic diet orders” by enabling RDNs to independently order therapeutic diets in multiple care settings.

The proposed long-term care regulations also include revisions consistent with those made in the Academy’s formal 2012 recommendations to CMS and in multiple meetings held with CMS, staff, and our member leaders. We will be carefully reviewing the proposed rule to fully understand all of the exciting opportunities and implications for RDNs in LTC facilities and will be working closely with the Dietitians in Health Care Communities DPG and other experts to submit comments within the next sixty days.

Recognition goes to Pepin Tuma, Senior Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs and Sharon McCauley, Director, Quality Management for their continued efforts to advance the Academy’s goals in this area.

Nadine Pazder, MS, RDN, LD/N, FAND

Delegate, Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Professional Development Resources is a CPE Accredited Provider with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001). CPE accreditation does not constitute endorsement by CDR of provider programs or materials. Professional Development Resources is also a provider with the Florida Council of Dietetics and Nutrition (Provider #50-1635) and is CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within 1 week of completion).

As the population of the United States ages, a growing number of registered dietitians are specializing in elder care and work full or part-time in skilled nursing facilities. Success in long-term care requires the registered dietitian to be familiar with the treatment issues of elders. Knowledge of common medical issues is needed to thoroughly understand the elder’s condition, especially in the long-term care environment where most residents have multiple medical conditions that impact their functioning.

The Registered Dietitian in Long-Term Care is a 2-hour online CEU course that will provide a framework for providing care in a skilled nursing facility. It is intended to give the clinician an overview of the important aspects of long-term care that effect treatment, including the structure, organization and reimbursement system of skilled nursing facilities. The average resident and common treatment areas will also be discussed. Course #20-90 | 2014 | 27 pages | 14 posttest questions

New Online Course Meets Ethics Requirement for RDs & DTRs

By Gina Ulery, MS, RDN, LDN

Responding to a recommendation from the Academy Board of Directors, on May 9, 2011, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) voted to require that RDs and DTRs complete a minimum of 1 CPEU of Continuing Professional Education in Ethics (Learning Need Code 1050) during each 5-year recertification cycle in order to recertify. This requirement will be effective starting with the 5-year recertification cycle which ends on May 31, 2017, and will be phased in over a 5 year period for each recertification cycle.

Professional Development Resources has developed a 1-hour online course to meet this requirement:

Ethics for Registered Dietitian NutritionistsEthics for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE, CEU, CPEU) course addressing the ethics of practice in nutrition and dietetics and satisfies the requirement of the Commission on Dietetic Registration that RDs and DTRs complete a minimum of 1 CPEU of Continuing Professional Education in Ethics (Learning Need Code 1050) during each 5-year recertification cycle in order to recertify. The practice and business of nutrition and dietetics grow and change but ethical practices remain paramount regardless. Potential situations arise that require a review of what the ethical solution(s) should be. This course includes real-life scenarios so you can utilize the profession’s Code of Ethics to identify these ethical issues and come up with solutions and ways to avoid unethical behaviors. Course #10-60 | 2014 | 10 Pages | 7 posttest questions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) and mark your answers on while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.

About the Authors:

Catherine Christie, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND, FPCNA, is Associate Dean, Professor, and Nutrition Graduate Program Director in the Brooks College of Health at the University of North Florida. She is a Past President of the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Cathy is co-author of four books including The Latino Food Lover’s Glossary, Fat is Not Your Fate, Eat to Stay Young and I’d Kill for a Cookie. Dr. Christie is also Editor of theManual of Medical Nutrition Therapy. A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Fellow of the Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association and Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dr. Christie earned her Ph.D. from Florida State University and served for six years as the Chairman of the Dietetics and Nutrition Council, which regulates the nutrition profession in the state of Florida. Dr. Christie is the recipient of several awards and/or certifications including Florida’s Distinguished Dietitian, Florida Dietetic Association Outstanding Service Award, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Outstanding Dietetic Educator Award, and the Excellence in Practice Award for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Susan Mitchell, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND, is a nutrition consultant in digital and traditional media and communicates evidence-based health messages thru social media, radio, TV, video, and print. ?She also provides continuing education for health professionals through speaking, webinars and written articles/courses. Along with Dr. Christie, Dr. Mitchell is co-author of three books, Fat is Not Your Fate, I’d Kill for a Cookie, and Eat to Stay Young and is a contributing author to Macmillan Reference USA’s Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z. A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Distinguished Florida Dietitian, Dr. Mitchell earned her Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee and taught nutrition and health science at the University of Central Florida for over 8 years. She serves on the University of North Florida’s Department of Nutrition & Dietetics Advisory Committee and the advisory board of Family Circle magazine. Drs. Christie and Mitchell have taught the Preventing Medical Errors in Dietetics Practice 2-hour course for over six years at the annual Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics meeting.

Professional Development Resources is a CPE Accredited Provider with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR #PR001). CPE accreditation does not constitute endorsement by CDR of provider programs or materials. Professional Development Resources is also a provider with the Florida Council of Dietetics and Nutrition and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635).