Dietitian

Dietician is the trademarked name for a Medizinalfachberuf. The past two years and now three years of training takes place at the state-approved schools or private schools and is completed with an exam testing. In Austria, the dietitians hot Dieticians and Nutritionists in Switzerland diploma HF / FH.

Definition dietician

The definition of " dietician " (English dietitian ) was carried out by the International Congress of Dietetic Associations ( ICDA ) and was adopted by the European Federation of the Association of Dietitians ( EFAD ):

"A dietitian is a person with a qualification in Nutrition & Dietetics Recognized by national authority ( s ). The dietitian Applies the science of nutrition to the feeding and education of groups of people and individuals in health and disease. "

The EFAD undertakes a further subdivision of the dieticians by specialization and field work in the dietitians in Europe:

Administrative Dietitian: A dietitian who works and Focuses Primarily within food service management with responsibility for providing nutritionally adequate, quality food to individuals or groups in health and disease in a institution or a community setting.

Clinical Dietitian: A dietitian Who Has responsibility for planning, education, supervision and evaluation of a Clinically devised eating plan to restore the client / patient to functional nutritional health. Clinical dietitians can work in primary care as well as in institutions.

Public Health or Community Dietitian: A dietitian Directly Involved in health promotion and policy formulation did leads to the promotion food choice amongst individuals and groups to Improve or maintain Their nutritional health and Minimizes risk nutritionally derived from illness.

Covers a dietician several working fields, saith the EFAD by the General Dietitan.

Occupation in different countries

Dietitian (United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia), dietician ( Germany, Austria until 2005), Diaetologe ( Austria ), nutritionist SRK ( Switzerland ), Dietist ( The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden), Diététicien (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada), DIETISTA (Italy, Portugal, Spain), klinisk Dietist (Denmark), Dietetyk (Poland), Dietistas (Lithuania ), Diaetetikus (Hungary ), Diyetisyen (Turkey), klinisk ernæringsfysiolog (Norway ), Ravitsemusterapeutti (Finland ), Διαιτολόγος (Greece ), דיאטן קליני (Israel ) dietas Masa (Latvia )

The dietitians are the only health care professional in the field of dietetics and nutrition, which can be recognized based on the EU directive 2005/36/EC in Europe. A recognition abroad is necessary for the exercise of the profession.

Professional history and associations

The history of professional dietitians in Germany begins in the 1920s. Nurses prepared in the kitchens of the stations in the hospitals medically prescribed diets. Mid-20s was introduced professional opportunities for diet nurse, who a short time later expanded into an independent two-year training for dietician. In the 30 years, established the Occupation dietician, diet and the first schools were built. In 1937 the professional state recognition. Due to the Second World War, the training was set to resume them after the war in many schools. First, the profession developed in both the Federal Republic of Germany and in the GDR straight on. In the 50s, the training of dietitians in the GDR was increased to three years. In the Federal Republic the training was first raised to three and then to four years (including recognition year). In the 70 years she has been cut back to two years. Only after the turn of the training is federally set at three years and thus accepted the request of the West German Association of Dieticians an extension of the training. Since 1974, the training to become nationally recognized dietitians nationwide uniform in dietician Act ( DiätAssG ) is regulated. In the same law and the professional title is protected. The dietician is one of the healing professions. In the current classification of occupations of the German labor market, are dietitians in the group 8176 - Occupations in the diet and nutrition therapy - listed as the only therapy profession for the sector of nutrition and dietetics. In the international standard qualification of Occupations ( ISCO-88 ), the dieticians are in the main group 3 " technicians and associate professionals " in subsection 322 " ( except nursing ) Modern health associate professionals " to find under the number 3223. In the same group can be found, inter alia, the professional group of physiotherapists, medical technical assistants and occupational therapists.

With the support of founded in 1954 the German Nutrition Society ( DGE) was founded in 1957 in Mainz, the "union state recognized dieticians and nutritionists in Germany," from which the present-day " Association of Dieticians - German Federal Association " (VDD ) was born. That same year, the VDD member of the still existing ICDA (International Committee of Dietetic Assosciations ). 1972 is the founding member of the VDD CADEC (Committee of Dietetic Associations in the European Community ), today's European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians ( EFAD ).

Training

The training of dieticians is governed by the dieticians Training and Examination Regulation ( DiätAss APrV ). Admission requirements for training are the physical and mental fitness for the exercise of the profession and a middle education ( secondary education ). The training ends after three years' duration with an oral, written and practical exam. After successfully passing the examination, the title may " nationally recognized dietician " are performed.

The training includes a total of 4450 hours, of which 3,050 to 1,400 hours of practical theoretical lessons. The content of teaching and the state examination are given in the DiätAss APrV. With presence in 1000 (by the hour ) is the specialist dietetics focus of instruction represents the training of dietitians is, like that of other nationally recognized non- academic health professions regulated by federal law (eg physiotherapists, midwives and occupational therapists ). The training has a special status because it is not attributable to the Vocational Training Act ( Vocational Training Act) nor the higher education.

About 700 dietitians are trained annually in 60 schools in Germany. In the EC, Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications of 7 September 2005, the training of dietitians in the " special structure programs" listed. In this collection there are also other health professionals such as physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and pediatric nurses.

After training as a dietician is the possibility of continuing vocational education and training. This further qualifying measures are of various professional societies such as the DGE ( German Society for Nutrition ), DDG ( German Diabetes Association ) and the Association of Dieticians - German Federal Association offered eV (VDD ) and allow for the specialization in certain tasks such as nutritional and dietary counseling and food service management.

Tasks

Dietitians are the only legally protected by federal law regulated profession for the topic of nutrition and dietetics. Essentially working dietitians in the following areas: Clinical dietetics and nutrition: this includes in particular the diet and nutritional counseling in clinical and outpatient care as well as the diet therapeutic settings of patients (eg, enteral nutrition or parenteral nutrition and special diets). Administration ( Management Board ): this includes monitoring of the practical application of diet therapeutic measures and the management of the kitchen ( diet) kitchen and guidance of the staff. Public Health ( Prevention and Health Promotion ): this includes the development, implementation, implementation and evaluation of activities in the field of prevention and health promotion. Teaching and research: which includes the training of health professionals (eg dietitians, health and nurses ) as well as the cooperation and conduct of studies.

Employment

Dieticians are usually in hospitals, rehabilitation clinics and similar establishments, but also more and more independent and active in medical practices or health insurance. The therapeutic range and the health tourism offer further options.

In Germany 2008 14.000 dietitians were aloud Health coverage ( GBE) employs social insurance in Germany in the year. As in Germany - unlike other countries - working dietitians are not registered, the number of independent dietitians is not known. The estimates range from 2000 - 5000 self-employed. The only professional association of dietitians ( Association of Dieticians - German Bundesverband eV, VDD) represents approximately 4500 dietitians and thus about 1 /3 of the dietitians in Germany. Dieticians therefore have a comparatively high level of organization. In 2009, a career field analysis was commissioned from VDD, which was conducted by the Berlin School of Public Health at the Charité. Thus, the professional image of dietitians and dietitians is diverse and wide work fields far. Dietitians in Germany working for the most part employed ( 65%), followed by the freelancer ( 15%) and a mixed form of it, " employed and freelance (20 %). Employees dietitians work primarily in catches ( 54.5 %) and rehabilitation facilities (17.6%) and other facilities, such as medical offices, schools, pharmacies ( 25%). Care facilities play a relatively minor role, here are only 2.9 % of dietitians working. Due to demographic change is to be expected that the activities will increase in nursing and retirement homes. The implementation of the " expert standard diet " of DNQP (International Network for Quality Care ) could lead to a rise in employment - not only in nursing - and retirement homes - lead. The predominant activity of dietitians is to the patient, ie they work directly with the patients or customers (63.5 %). Most of the dietitians involved in the implementation of diet therapy and nutritional counseling ( 85.4 % ), followed by activities in the food service management ( 54%). However, research (29%), public relations (13%) and teaching (11%) are common areas of work of dietitians Ca. 2/3 ( 62.9 %) of all dietitians working in one or more inter-professional teams, mostly from other dietitians (80 %) and physicians (66%), nurses (35%), psychologists ( 35%) and (diet - ) chefs (39% ) are made. The inter-professional teams vary depending on whether dieticians are in latches or self-employed. Thus, with dietitians in hospitals are significantly more likely nurses and ( diet ) Chefs members of the team. In contrast, other self-employed health care professions, such as physiotherapists or psychotherapist. The activities of dietitians in the team points out the many interfaces to other professional groups that are necessary to perform holistic, diet and nutrition, therapeutic measures. Dieticians provide further often. 73.5 % of all dieticians have at least a further or continuing participated - speaks for a high quality of professional action. A specialist is thus the dietician a vital link between doctor, patient and relatives dar. However, in Germany there is also the professional title dietary cook. In contrast to the dieticians, these are but a craft.