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How to Complete On Your Own C:

Participate in a Group Discussion about the Healthy Diet Plans
Use the Diet and Exercise Journal you filled out when following the diet plans in On Your Own B to meet with your group of peers and compare and contrast the plans each of you tried out. Your mentor will lead a group discussion to identify similarities and differences among the group.

Conduct the Nutritional Interview
Use the questionnaire you created to conduct a 30-minute nutritional interview. Collect the Diet and Exercise Journal the client filled out in On Your Own B at the start of the interview. Also, have the client read and sign the confidentiality agreement before the interview begins.

Request that your Client Complete the Customer Satisfaction Survey
After you conduct the nutritional interview, ask your client to fill out the Customer Satisfaction Survey and hand it back to you before they leave.

Participate in a Group Discussion about the Healthy Diet Plans

1. Prepare for the group discussion. Prior to the group discussion, you may refer to the Diet and Exercise Journal you filled out for each of the diet plans you followed in On Your Own B. Review the answers to your self reflection questions for each plan in your Diet and Exercise Journal and think about the experiences you would like to share with your peers as part of the discussion. You may also note any questions you have for your peers about their experiences. Did anyone else face similar challenges? Did they feel better when following one plan or another?
   
   For reference, you may also refer to helpful links on having effective group discussions in the Resources section (link above).
   
   
2. Participate in the group discussion. As directed by your mentor, meet with a group of your peers and compare and contrast the healthy diet plans each of you recently tried out during On Your Own B.
   
   Your mentor will guide a group discussion in which you and your peers will compare and contrast your experiences following the healthy diet plans during On Your Own B. As a reminder, the list of plans included:
   
   
   • Low cholesterol diet: This diet limits the amount of fats you eat. It is often prescribed for people who have high cholesterol.
     
     
   • Low sodium diet: This diet aims to reduce the daily intake of sodium or salt. It is often prescribed for someone with high blood pressure or heart disease.
     
     
   • Vegetarian (Lacto Ovo) diet: This is a vegetarian diet that omits meat, fish and poultry, but allows for the consumption of dairy products and eggs. This is a diet people may choose for moral, religious or health reasons.
     
     
   • High fiber diet + eight glasses of water a day: This diet calls for increasing the amount of fiber one eats, by eating whole grain foods such as cereals and bread and fresh fruits and vegetables. If you select this diet, it is important to also drink lots of water at regular intervals. This diet is a general healthy way to eat and helps to prevent heart disease and cancer.
     
     
   • Caffeine-free diet: This diet eliminates caffeine-based products from your diet regimen. People may follow this diet for a variety for reasons, ranging from general health to sleep regulation.
     
     
   • Five fruits and vegetables a day: This diet requires eating five portions of fruits and vegetables a day, for a good source of fiber, plus a whole range of vitamins and minerals. This diet is a general healthy way of eating.
     
     
   • No fast food and junk food for a week: This diet eliminates fast food and junk food for one week from your diet regimen. This includes any food purchased at a fast food restaurant, school or vending machines. Typical fast food includes pizza, burgers and fries. This diet is for someone who wants to maintain a diet of healthy eating, and commonly to cut down on fat consumption.
     
     
   • Low sugar diet: This diet limits your daily sugar intake. It is often prescribed for someone who wants to lose weight or is a diabetic, or someone who wants to eat healthier.

Referring to your experiences as noted in your Diet and Exercise Journal for each plan you followed, share your opinions about the pros and cons of each diet plan with your peers. Talk about what went well, what was challenging and what trends and patterns each of you observed as you experimented with healthier food choices. In the discussion, share your perspective on how your experiences may help you relate better to a client who is trying to follow a healthier diet regimen. Follow your mentor’s lead during the discussion and look for ways to be an active participant (try to contribute to each question). Listen closely to what others have to say, and ask questions and share your own relevant experiences when appropriate.

 

Conduct the Nutritional Interview

1. Prepare for the nutritional interview. In advance of the interview, make arrangements to obtain recording equipment (video or audio) for the interview, as you are required to record the session. (Talk to your mentor if you have questions.) Then, you’ll want to confirm the meeting with your client and arrange a quiet space where you can talk without interruption for a 30-minute nutritional interview. Remind your client to bring the completed Diet and Exercise Journal to the interview.
   
   Come prepared for the interview with:
   • Video or audio recording device and tape (batteries, if needed)
   • Writing utensil and note pad
   • Confidentiality agreement
     
   • Your Client Questionnaire
     
   • Customer Satisfaction Survey

   Before your interview, you may choose to review the videos of the interviews (conducted by Michael Wilson and Paula Jansen) you saw in the earlier case-based tasks of this rotation (specifically, Task 1 and Task 3). They’ll provide helpful reminders on do’s and don’ts during the nutritional interview. For reference, you may also refer to helpful links on conducting effective client interviews in the Resources section (link above).
   
   You should read the Tips and Traps section before you conduct the interview as a reminder of good interviewing etiquette.

2. Conduct the interview. Remember, the goal of the interview is to get a full picture in terms of the client’s history.

   1. As the client enters, greet them and remind them that you will be videotaping or recording the session. Explain that your mentor will use the recording later to provide feedback on your performance and assure them that their responses are confidential. Begin videotaping or recording the session.
      
      
   2. Go over the Confidentiality Agreement with your client before you begin the interview, and obtain a signature from your client. You should sign the agreement as well before you begin the interview (and if you are under 18, you should have obtained your parent's signature as well). Remember to assure your client that the information will remain confidential between you and the mentor, unless a referral is required. Remind your client that you are not a licensed professional and are only permitted to share your analysis after your mentor reviews it.
      
      
   3. Collect the Diet and Exercise Journal at the start of the interview. Take a moment to review it, as this will give you a sense of your client’s eating habits and routine before you begin the interview.
      
      
   4. Go through your questionnaire in a conversational fashion. Carefully capture notes as you go along on the questionnaire, and remember to put the client at ease and try to build a rapport as you go. The style of your interview is just as important as the substance.
      
      
   5. Normally, a nutritional advisor measures a client’s height and weight, but for the purpose of this exercise you can simply ask the client for these numbers. Explain that you will need this information to devise a Healthy Eating Guide later on. If they feel uncomfortable offering this information, do not force them to. Leave the information blank, and you can discuss this later with your mentor. Your mentor will be able to supply you with numbers to work with (or suggest realistic estimates). Complete the entire questionnaire as you take notes during the interview. You may fill in any gaps after the interview by listening to your tape of the session.
      
      

Request that your Client Complete the Customer Satisfaction Survey

1. Ask your client to fill out the Customer Satisfaction Survey. After you finish filling out the questionnaire, thank your client for their time and ask them to fill out the Customer Satisfaction Survey before they leave. This survey is the client’s assessment of your performance in the interview. You’ll want to have them fill out the survey right away so they can provide you with feedback while it is fresh in their mind. Remind your client to be as specific as possible in their comments and to provide examples that support their opinions.

 

Submit Your Work

1. Review your work to make sure it is complete before submitting it for review.
   
   
2. Review the checklist located on the Submit your work section of this task and submit the following documents to your mentor:
   
   
   • Signed Confidentiality Agreement
     
     
   • Client’s Diet and Exercise Journal
     
     
   • Final Client Questionnaire and Video or Audio Recording of the interview
     
     
   • Customer Satisfaction Survey

3. Meet with your mentor to debrief on the interview. After the interview, schedule an appointment with your mentor to debrief on your performance in the interview. Your mentor will use the survey, along with the video or audio recording, client Diet and Exercise Journal and your completed Client Questionnaire, to provide you with specific coaching and feedback.
   
   
4. Once you have submitted your materials, answer the questions in the Reflect on what you learned section of this task. You may answer the questions in a separate a Word document. Review the checklist located in the Submit Your Work section of this task and submit your response to your mentor when you are ready.
   

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Group Discussion:

• You should try to be open and share your experiences and opinions with others. Engage in the discussion and be an active listener; the more you’ll put into the discussion, the more you’ll get out of it.
  
  

Interview Style:

• You should help the client feel at ease and believe you genuinely care about his or her well-being. This approach helps the client feel comfortable enough to share important personal information with you so you can gather the relevant clinical findings through your conversation. Along these lines it is helpful to:
  
  
  • Make eye contact
    
    
  • Demonstrate active listening
    
    
  • Use a warm, welcoming tone
    
    
  • Use receptive and interested body language
  
  

Interview Substance:

• You might be tempted to ask only what is on your questionnaire, but it’s better to use it as a checklist and ask probing questions. Follow up questions often reveal important information that is helpful in developing a plan that meets your client’s needs and fits his or her lifestyle.
  
  
• Consider what the client is not telling you. Think about what additional information would be helpful to gather from the client and ask appropriate follow up questions.
  
  
• If the client has questions and you do not know the answer, it is okay to tell them you will research the answer and get back to them.

 

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When referring to a Wikipedia resource, note that while Wikipedia is a valuable resource, unlike some other websites anyone can contribute to or modify the site (whether they're knowledgeable about the topic or not). As a result, the site is subject to constant change by questionable sources. Be sure to cross-check information on Wikipedia with other reputable sites to ensure accuracy.

TASK RESOURCES

Conducting Group Discussions

Successful Group Discussion Techniques - This page gives you tips on how to make the most of a group discussion, whether you are the group leader or a participant.

Maintaining Professionalism with Clients

Ask the Expert: What does client confidentiality mean in your field and why is it important? And what do you tell your clients about confidentiality and their rights? 

The Importance of Keeping Client Information Confidential - The issue of client confidentiality is an important one. This FAQ explains why confidentiality is vital to a dietitian's professionalism and must be taken seriously at all times.

Good Interviewing Techniques

Ask the Expert: What are a dietitian's goals in an initial client interview?

Ask the Expert: What are some challenges when conducting a client interview and how do you address those challenges?

Ask the Expert: What general advice would you give about conducting a client interview?

Ask the Expert: How do you attempt to build rapport with your clients?

Ask the Expert: What do practitioners mean by "good bedside manner?"

Asking Probing Questions - This FAQ explains how practitioners use probing questions as part of their interviewing technique.

Putting it All Together: The Nutrition and Health Assessment - This page gives you helpful tips on the client interview and nutritional counseling process.

Balancing Client and Parent Perspectives - This FAQ helps you understand the challenges of conducting an effective client interview when both a parent and child are present.

Good Bedside Manner - This site gives you tips on how to build a rapport with a client.

What is Active Listening? - This page from Wikipedia provides a definition on active listening and explains some of the benefits of putting this skill to use.

Different Types of Body Language - This site outlines the differences between various types of body language and how you might use each to communicate your message.

Client Education

Educating Clients about their Nutritional Health - This FAQ explains how a dietitian can educate the public on nutritional and dietary issues.

Serving Sizes

Controlling Portion Sizes - How do you know a reasonable portion of food when you see it? This page from the American Cancer Society provides tips on how to assess portion sizes.

Easy Ways to Remember Serving Sizes - This helpful handout makes it easy to determine serving sizes of standard foods. You may use it as a resource while tracking your food intake.

What is a Serving Size? The serving size of a food product can be a confusing term. This page from Wikipedia explains the meaning of the term in different contexts.

GENERAL NUTRITION RESOURCES

Nutrition Tools & Practices

The Diagnosis & Treatment Process Specific to Nutrition - This document describes a process that health care professionals, and dietitians and nutritionists in particular, typically use to assess what is wrong with their patients, and how they develop treatment plans to help them.

MyPlate - This site provides information on the MyPlate Program, which was designed by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to promote healthy nutrition in children over two years of age. It serves as a general guide to daily food choices and includes age-specific food plans, calorie counters, and general nutrition guidelines.

Background Information

The American Dietetic Association - This is the site for the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.

The American Society for Nutrition - This is the site for The American Society for Nutrition, a premier research society dedicated to improving the quality of life through the science of nutrition.

U.S. Department of Agriculture: Food and Nutrition - Under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's web site, this page gives you general useful information on food and nutrition.

U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans - Under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's web site, this page provides guidelines regarding how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases.

Nutritional Needs of Adolescents - This article provides a detailed account of facts and statistics regarding the nutritional needs of adolescents.

The Science of Biology, Eighth Edition, William K. Purves - This link requires a username and password. Your username is vista1, and your password is arginine. Using the menu at the top of the screen, select Chapter 50 (on nutrition) for the most relevant material.