PHPS41210 Advancing Healthcare: Optimising Nutrition

Academic Year 2024/2025

Nutrition is fundamental to our physical and mental health and wellbeing. This module is designed to introduce healthcare professionals (HCPS) to key, evidenced-based, nutrition concepts across the lifespan. It will enhance knowledge and ability to provide safe, basic nutritional advice and awareness about screening and referrals in situations requiring more specialist interventions. In Ireland, it is estimated that one quarter of the population are affected by cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic disease, with two thirds of the population living with overweight or obesity. Globally, a poor diet is one of the leading risk factors for preventable diseases. Most non-nutrition HCPs will come into contact with individuals and groups requiring guidance on optimal nutrition and/or cases requiring clinical nutrition input. HCPs will also play a key role in implementing and embedding integrated care programmes across the health services. This module will allow the learner to advance their knowledge of nutritional care to complement other approaches in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease and their complications. The learner will also develop skills that can support individuals to make meaningful dietary changes in their lives.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
1.Appraise the key policy documents used by HCPs to provide an evidence base for nutrition guidelines and chronic disease prevention and management across the life cycle.
2.Understand and analyse nutritional and dietary requirements and adequacy at each stage of the life cycle.
3.Demonstrate knowledge of the common chronic conditions that require nutritional intervention
4.Translate and apply current nutrition guidelines into practical nutrition strategies to promote health.
5.Appraise evidence for sustainable and healthy dietary patterns for individuals and groups.
6.Identify and apply key behaviour change techniques to dietary behaviour change in healthcare settings.

Indicative Module Content:

1.Fundamental principles of nutrition guidelines for healthy growth and development.
2.Optimising nutrition intervention(s) in chronic disease prevention and management in early adulthood.
3.Optimising nutrition intervention(s) in chronic disease prevention and management in mid-late adulthood.
4.Optimising nutrition intervention(s) in chronic disease prevention and management in older adulthood.
5.Translating nutrition recommendations into practice.
6.Understanding drivers of food choice and supporting dietary behaviour change.
7.Sustainable and healthy dietary patterns.
8.Case studies across the life span.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

60
Autonomous Student Learning

40
Total

100
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Optimising Nutrition will be delivered via a series of online bite sized lectures, enhanced educational technology (e.g. audio-visual aids) and self directed learning tasks. In addition, you will participate in online peer review focusing on practical application and delivery of nutritional recommendations through reflective learning and case study discussion. Active participation is encouraged with emphasis on becoming an autonomous practitioner, competent in safe and effective nutritional recommendations in clinical populations.


 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade

Not yet recorded.

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Professor Catherine Blake Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Sarah Browne Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Clare Corish Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor James Matthews Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Pratiksha Nagar Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Miss Annelie Shaw Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Afroja Ahmed Tutor
Mr Abdel Babiker Tutor
Dr Ra'Ed Malallah Tutor
Ms Deirdre O'Connor Tutor
Professor Akke Vellinga Tutor