APPLIED DIETETICS - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module focuses on clinical dietetics, such as nutrition support for patients with different clinical conditions and managing patients with chronic conditions. Alongside the teaching of new knowledge, this module continues to draw on and build on knowledge from previous modules (e.g. BMS1055, BMS1034, BMS2040, BMS2039 etc.) with a focus on their application in clinical scenarios. The strong focus on application in clinical practice of this module will equip the students well for their clinical placements B and C.

Please note that this module has mandatory attendance requirement due to professional body requirement

Module provider

School of Biosciences

Module Leader

JEARY Caitlin (Biosciences)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• 
  
  
  
  • Intro to module and coursework.
  
  
  • Enteral Nutrition support
  
  
  • Oral nutrition support
  
  
  • Diet & Cancer
  
  
  • Diabetes
  
  
  • Diet & Gastrointestinal Disorders
  
  
  • Coeliac disease
  
  
  • Renal & liver disease
  
  
  • Paediatrics
  
  
  • Mental health
  
  
  • Obesity
  
  
  • Parenteral nutrition
  
  
  • Patient records and written communication
  
  
  • Communication skills through role play and interdisciplinary learning
  
  
  
  

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of clinical dietetics, awareness of specialised products available for patients, and justify their dietetic care planning and critical thinking.The summative assessment for this module consists of:

1. OSCE Simulation with consultation documentation and reflection 

During this assessment, you will complete a full OSCE simulation with a trained actor as your patient, including a detailed nutritional assessment, development of a nutrition and dietetic diagnosis, provision of information and negotiation of an appropriate care plan.  You will also complete full documentation of your consultation and a short response reflecting on your learnings from the simulation and how these may apply to future practice. 

1. Short Answer Questions: 5 scenario-based questions

You will be seeing a wide range of clinical conditions on Placement B and the ability to apply knowledge in clinical practice is essential. You may see patients with conditions that have been taught at university but also conditions that are new to you, requiring self-directed learning and additional reading. We will have covered all the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to complete those short answer questions. We will assess your ability to apply knowledge and skills in different clinical and professional scenarios.Formative assessment and feedback:Oral Nutritional Supplements Tasting session and reflective Q&A on module discussion boardSurrey Student Dietitian Clinic -- a role-play outpatient session where immediate feedback is given on their clinical reasoning and communication skills.Surrey Ward - a role-play inpatient session where immediate feedback is given on their clinical reasoning and communication skills.

Module aims

• Enable students to critically analyse the clinical information and use evidence-based approaches to devising care plans for service users and health care professionals
• Enable students to evaluate their practice against professional standards such as HCPC standards and BDA professional guidelines
• Prepare the students for the clinical B and C by enhancing their professional skills such as communication skills, reflecting skills and time management skills

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Review key knowledge acquired from previous modules such as BMS1055, BMS1062, BMS2080, BMS2039 and how its application in clinical practice
• Utilise clinical case studies for students to apply knowledge in practice
• Provide an opportunity for students to analyse and evaluate the clinical information critically, drawing on research evidence and professional and clinical guidelines
• Enable students to undertake consultations as they would do on placement by providing opportunities for inpatient and outpatient simulations with trained actors 
• Facilitate the continuing development of professional skills such as time management skills by managing the workload effectively and efficiently and by attending the timetabled sessions on time, as well as reflection skills through a range of guided reflective questions

  

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: BMS2049

Other information

Resourcefulness & resilience:

The module covers various topics and combines pre-recorded lectures and in-class clinical practice sessions. As such, students will need to plan their time well to study and ensure they can achieve the learning outcomes. The module encourages students to analyse each clinical scenario drawing on their knowledge and new research with critical thinking. The mandatory attendance requirement will also help facilitate students' time management skills whilst appreciating the importance of professionalism.

Global & cultural capabilities:

The module focuses on the dietary treatment of clinical conditions, and some of those conditions may have a higher incidence in certain ethnic groups. Students will learn to devise dietary plans whilst bearing in mind their ethnic dietary habits drawing on knowledge from the previous module (e.g. BMS1055 and BMS1034). Students will also learn to appreciate some barriers to change when working with those ethnic groups, such as language barriers and cultural and religious beliefs, and approaches to address those barriers.

Sustainability:

The module explores how dietary treatment plans may impact environmental sustainability. It enables students to begin to reflect on their practice and think about choosing more environmentally sustainable products and make dietary recommendations whilst bearing sustainability in mind.

Digital capabilities:

As more NHS Trusts and Services are moving to fully electronic, the module will discuss electronic documentation and telehealth and how they will affect clinical practice. It will enable students to develop their capabilities working as dietitians in a digital era.

Employability:

The module strongly focuses on applying knowledge in clinical scenarios and develops students' clinical and professional skills, which are directly transferrable when they go on clinical placements and for the future when they qualify as a dietitian.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.