Nutrition in nursing curricula: recent developments and recommendations

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Nutrition Science
• Professional Education

Background:

• Nursing and nutrition have evolved into distinct yet interconnected scholarly disciplines.
• Increased collaboration between nurses and dietitians is emerging due to professional maturity and societal needs.
• Historically, there has been a period of separation and limited communication between these professions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the complex status of nutrition education within nursing.
• To establish consensus on essential nutrition content for nursing curricula.
• To provide a framework for developing, implementing, and evaluating nutrition education for nurses.

Main Methods:

• Review of the current state of nutrition education in nursing.
• Identification of consensus on the role of nurses in nutritional care.
• Application of eight guidelines for curriculum development.

Main Results:

• Consensus exists that nurses play a vital role in client nutritional care and that nutrition content is essential.
• Specific nutrition content, curriculum placement, and optimal teaching methods remain subjects of debate.
• The Morse guidelines offer a foundation for essential nutrition content in undergraduate nursing programs.

Conclusions:

• Both nurses and dietitians should be involved in educating nurses on nutrition.
• The selection of specific nutrition content can be guided by the SNE ( ? ) content and the Morse guidelines.
• Educator background influences the nutrition content taught in nursing programs.