NUTRITION AND DIETETICS

Nutrition & Dietetics hosted 54 students for placement throughout 2022 across clinical, food service and community health sites. Physical space continued to be a challenge, especially in outpatient clinics with limited numbers allowed in the consult rooms at a time. Converting ‘workstations on wheels’ to laptops and ongoing remote access for the students has greatly assisted placements. The food service projects undertaken by our students in 2022 included:

• Inpatient Menu Nutrition Review & Patient Diabetes Menu Resource Evaluation

• Optimal protein consumption in the older adult

Public health students were involved in collecting data for the Victorian Healthy Food Basket. In addition, they were split into three groups with one group supporting the implementation of the drinks component of the Victorian Government’s Healthy Choices policy directive. The other two groups worked on aspects of the evaluation of The Community Plate – an initiative with a community aspiration that we are all connected to food that is local, healthy, and abundant.

Congratulations to our staff who were nominated by students as Inspiring Educators:

• Gemma Bourke

• Kathy Wheatland

• Fiona Turnbull

Nikki Hale from the Health Promotion team was awarded the Inspiring Educator Award for the Public Health Dietetic student placements and Jenny Moss was the winner of the overall Inspiring Educator award for the clinical stream.