MAERN4200 Clinical Nutrition Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

In this course, students will learn how to make simple nutritional assessments and how to provide dietary advice for users and patients. Different types of special diets and nutritional supplements are discussed in this context. The students will be given an introduction to rules and regulations concerning practical nutrition work, including the roles of different expert groups in this work.

Completed MAERN4100 Energy and Nutrients.

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences - Specialisation in Nutrition Competencies for Health Personnel.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge  

The student 

• can describe how key nutritional challenges are treated using diet in selected user and patient groups 
• can discuss how clinical conditions in different phases of a disease’s development (during treatment, after treatment has been concluded, at the end of life) are related to food intake and appetite
• can discuss dietary treatment in relation to common diet-related allergies, intolerances and diseases of the digestive system       
• can assess the need for and compare different types of special diets and nutritional supplements 
• can describe how the effect of certain medication can affect nutritional status, and vice versa 

Skills  

The student 

• can perform a simple nutritional assessment of users and patients
• can provide dietary advice

General competence  

The student 

• can discuss ethical aspects related to dietary treatment of disease
• knows responsibilities in multidisciplinary nutritional work and can collaborate with clinical dietitians and other health professionals 

The course will be mainly online, except for one seminar on campus during the start of the course. The online course will involve presentations, seminars and supervision. The course will use varied, student-active working methods, individually and in groups. The student is responsible to be up-to-date on activities and academic content in the learning platforms.

The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the examination: 

• Preparation of a diet for a group selected by the student - report of 1,000 words +/- 10%
• A multiple choice test with a minimum of 80% correct answers by the given deadline.

An individual oral examination lasting 10 minutes. Digital presentation and 10-minute examination through a video conversation, based on a given topic. 48 hours’ preparation time. The digital presentation must be a video presentation with good sound and will form part of the grounds for assessment. 

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Grade scale A-F.

One internal and one external examiner.