Page 320 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

illustrator. Photographs and illustrations may be available for free download or can be purchased from web
sites or publication sources. For example, the ChooseMyPlate is available for free download to be used for
education purposes, but other resources may have limitations on their use.14 Be careful to obtain the correct
media resolution to match final use. Generally, the higher the resolution, the clearer the picture quality,
particularly when enlarged. Photographs may be used on bulletin boards and computer screens. If you are
photographing people, such as employees and clients, a signed form releasing the use of the photos without
limitation is required. Drawings and original computer graphics may need to be artist-generated, which can
add to expense and time to produce. Flowcharts can also be computer-generated to demonstrate a process to a
learner better than words alone. The use of logic models is becoming more prevalent to visually describe the
process of a how a project will be conducted and evaluated. Clinical decision support tools are used to navigate
through information databases.15

SELF-ASSESSMENT 1

Evaluate Figure 14-2 or Figure 14-4 for a specific audience using the art and design
principles.

Print Handouts
Healthcare professionals tend to give patients and clients a great deal of verbal information. By the time they
get home, most have probably forgotten at least half of the information. Trainers may do the same with new
employees. Materials in print may be personalized using word processing and desktop publishing software.

Putting key points in writing so that clients, patients, employees, and other audiences can refer to them
later solves this problem. In teaching about modified diets, for example, oral counseling is frequently
supplemented with written materials. The printed handout lists the foods to eat often and those to limit. The
format could offer recipe suggestions and suggest web sites to visit. Printed materials are effective in
reinforcing individual counseling sessions and group classes.

Many printed handouts and brochures are now using quick response (QR) code symbols. These symbols
can be scanned by mobile and smartphone devices that can access the Internet and are similar to universal
product codes found on food packaging. The symbols direct the user to the current Internet site; thus, the
information is always as current as possible and provides the learner a “link” to other resources. The use of QR
symbols gives printed matters a longer life span with more flexible applications and are currently not copyright
protected.16

When planning employee training, the presenter may consider giving an outline of the content, with space
for note taking or a list of the main points to be remembered. PowerPoint and other slide-generation software
provide options for printing outlines and slide handouts from created presentations. Listeners will be writing
instead of listening, unless you distribute copies of the information on the slides.2,7

In teaching about normal nutrition, for example, the ChooseMyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans may be distributed. Government agencies and private organizations produce printed materials for a
wide range of audiences, or you can make your own. If you are using materials produced by others, determine
the right to reproduce the materials. If the material is copyright-free, just acknowledge the owner. If the

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