Page 26 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

Having the right food available is helpful.

The counselor should document using electronic records of the client’s issues and goals, the factors
influencing them, and the intervention for future measurement of client change. Examples of outcomes are
changes in weight, glycemic control, blood pressure, lipid and other laboratory values; patient acceptance;
progress at self-management; and improvement in knowledge, skills, dietary changes, and lifestyle changes.
These indicate the impact of the intervention and can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment.
The counselor and client should engage in evaluation jointly

Enthusiasm for change may decline during the first week and even more during the second week as
obstacles develop. Therefore, frequent follow-up appointments should be scheduled if possible. Acute care
settings may not provide the opportunity for follow-up. Referrals to nutrition professionals in outpatient
settings or in private practice may be necessary, since one session with a client is insufficient to promote long-
term change in health practices. Communication is fundamental to each step in the process. Based on the
nutrition assessment, clear documentation of the nutrition problem (diagnosis) and the treatment intervention
will link measured outcomes to nutrition practice.

26