NUTRITION & DIETETICS: PLACEMENT B - 2025/6

Module Overview

The second Placement, B is taken during the third year of University, the PTY or professional training year. The majority of the time will be spent at a clinical healthcare setting between the period of (September – December) for 12 weeks in addition to a 1-week pre-placement module prior to this. Placement B will help to begin to apply theoretical knowledge and develop the range of skills needed to work as a dietitian with specified service user groups in a range of work settings. This will give students the opportunity to build on their knowledge, skills and professional abilities in order to become a registered dietitian.

Module provider

School of Biosciences

Module Leader

NORRIS Emily (Biosciences)

Number of Credits: 0

ECTS Credits: 0

Framework: Professional Training Year

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

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Pre-requisites BMSP008 Placement A, BMS2049 Applied Dietetics, BMS2052 Pathology: a Metabolic Perspective 

Module content

Practical dietetic placement involving two elements; 1-week pre-placement preparation module and a 12-week clinical placement

During the 1-week pre-preparation module; practical workshops will include practicing communication and assessment skills which have been develop in year one modules Principles of Nutrition and Health, Applied Skills in Nutrition and year two modules Nutrition Practice Development and Applied Dietetics to complete a full patient consultation. This will supplement their knowledge and skills and enable them apply it to a healthcare scenario/case studies prior to practicing during their 12-week clinical placement. Workshops include applying care planning to specific clinical conditions such as diabetes and stroke, consolidating understanding of the nutrition and dietetic care process and working within a professional healthcare environment. Students will have the opportunity to work in groups to apply knowledge and understanding to case studies for scenarios they can expect to see on their clinical placement and presenting this back to their peers and facilitators.

Students will develop knowledge, understanding and be able to demonstrate the range of professional skills and competencies in the 12-week clinical placement as per the learning outcomes. Students will see a range of different patient groups and clinical conditions and be able apply their theoretical knowledge to practice. Students will be able to practice communication skills in individual and group settings and feedback to their dietitian supervisors. They will utilise all knowledge gained and skills developed during their year 2 modules Nutrition Practice Development, Pathology: a Metabolic Perspective and Applied Dietetics and support their progression onto Placement C.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• They can show the competencies expected for a student dietitian at this level of their programme and to meet all the learning outcomes

• Pre-placement preparation module: monitoring of attendance and engagement in all practical sessions e.g. role play, problem based learning and workshops.


• Clinical placement: students have to demonstrate and collect evidence to showcase competency in each learning outcome for Placement B. The individual learning outcomes will then be signed off as achieved by their supervisor/s once they have collected sufficient evidence. A final report will be completed at the end of placement by the main student lead/manager, with a pass or fail outcome. Students have to pass all learning outcomes to pass placement overall.

• Regular opportunities for peer led and facilitator led reflection and feedback on practical elements including communication skills, written work, and knowledge during the pre-placement module


• Written and verbal feedback provided during the 12-week clinical placement by trained dietetic clinical supervisors


• Individual debrief with personal tutor following completion of all elements of Placement B

Module aims

• Translate theory into practice for service users seen in Placement B
• Be confident in obtaining information from service users seen in Placement B and give accurate dietary advice
• Take into account and consider the factors that influence compliance with dietary advice
• To collect, assess and record information to complete a comprehensive assessment in accordance to the model and process care planning process
• Demonstrate interpersonal and social skills to facilitate communication with service users and health care professionals both on an individual basis and in a group
• Identify own learning needs and use reflection to support personal professional development
• Manage a small caseload of patients/clients within a given time, ensuring appropriate monitoring and review of care plans
• Demonstrate an ability to maintain professional skills and practises in line with the Health and Care Professions Council Standards for conduct, performance and ethics

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• 
  Meet the professional competencies required for this level of dietetic training. Allowing opportunities to practise and demonstrate relevant skills such as information gathering, communication skills, record keeping, analysing gathered information to complete a patient consultation as per the British Dietetic Associations Model and process of dietetic practice.  
  


• 
  Enable students to gain knowledge of dietetic input for a range of clinical conditions.
  


• 
  Work with a range of other health professionals within a multidisciplinary setting to develop team working skills which will support future interprofessional elements of modules and working as part of a team in a healthcare setting.
  


• 
  Apply the use of reflective skills in practice when considering their own development on Placement. This will continue to support their peer-to-peer reflective feedback sessions during future modules and understand the use of constructive feedback in their own progression.  
  

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: BMSP002

Other information

Digital Capabilities: During their pre-placement preparation module, students will take part in virtual consultations and presentations. They will be required to prepare and use relevant presenting platforms to present their findings from case studies during their placement. During their clinical placement, they will be using online NHS/healthcare systems to explore biochemistry, medical and dietetic notes to support their assessment as well as maintaining a professional portfolio.

Employability: Placement B is an opportunity to be immersed in the professional environment, working with service users, registered dietitians and other health professionals to demonstrate the appropriate skills of a student dietitian at this level of study. Having the opportunity to develop different skills such as building a rapport with service users and carers, communication skills with multidisciplinary team members, understanding the importance of maintaining a professional portfolio and managing their time supports the students with their future employability.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students have to complete applied tasks and a portfolio alongside the practical sessions as part of their Placement B. This will provide students the ability to enhance their time management and organisation skills. In addition, they will need to lead on their own professional development by completing and discussing their reflections with their supervising dietitians and peers.

Sustainability: During their clinical placement, students will be exposed to the working environment of a dietitian and will begin to understand the importance of appropriate nutritional care planning in a hospital and home setting. This includes being aware of practical food fortification as a first line approach and when it would be appropriate to trial alternative options such as oral nutrition support. This gives greater understanding of the cost-benefit to dietetic care planning.

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.