Effective Pivoting During Public Health Emergencies: RDNs as Essential Practitioners

Student Member Price: $10.00

Attendees will learn in an interview-style panel discussion how experiences during the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies (such as hurricanes, fires, and tornadoes) inform future emergency preparedness. RDNs practicing in clinical nutrition, food service management, and public health nutrition will present how the RDN as an essential practitioner was strengthened. The leaders ensured quality competent care and services were being provided and had unique challenges to overcome which provided lessons in standardization. The speakers leaned on Academy resources including the Academy Code of Ethics, Academy Scope of Practice, Academy Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance, Practice Tips (Change Management, Quality Improvement), and newly published Emergency Readiness Playbook for guidance in successful pivoting for effective response to a rapidly changing environment.

CPE Level: Level 2 (intermediate knowledge/experience)
CPEU: 1.0

Performance Indicators

• 1.1.3 Keeps abreast of changes in practice and in the practice environment that affect individual competence and legislative scope of practice.
• 3.2.5 Educates employer and the public on RDN and NDTR roles, as well as the benefits of receiving care from RDNs and NDTRs.
• 7.4.1 Utilizes valid quality management tools to track and analyze data and to inform decisions

Learning Objectives

• Reinforce and strengthen the RDN as an essential practitioner and expand the RDN role during an emergency.
• Apply knowledge from Academy and regulatory resources to determine individual scope of practice and demonstrate and document competence during an emergency.
• Identify opportunities to develop and update organization protocols standardizing nutrition care and services for future emergencies and disasters.

Speakers

• Meg Bruening
• Tennille Yates
• Tamie Frable-Newman