Murray State University
Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Management
Spring 2002

NTN 610—6 Credit Hours

I. Title: Dietetic Internship II

II. Catalog Description

A combined didactic and clinical practice course encompassing three topics of study: advanced medical nutrition therapy, business/entrepreneur, and a culminating experience. Emphasis is on integrating prior course learning into the dietetics practitioner role. The clinical component involves preceptor supervised hospital and community based experiences in rural areas. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the MSU Dietetic Internship Program and FCS 600. III. Purpose To attain dietetics profession-determined knowledge, skills and competency requirements for entry-level practice. To gain experiences necessary prior to the ADA registration process and before independent practice. IV. Course Objectives

The student will:

V: Course Outline The following topics will be incorporated into the orientation week and the rotations listed below. VI. Instructional Activities Lecture, discussion, case studies, simulations, computer activities, clinical practice (distance learning, Internet, E-Mail, etc. as feasible). VII. Field and Clinical Experiences Clinical experiences in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health departments, schools, businesses, and community agencies in the geographic area surrounding Murray State University. VIII. Resources Campus computer laboratories; Waterfield Library and Inter-library Loan; departmental classrooms and laboratories; access to textbooks and professional publications in the department; clinical sites. IX. Grading procedures Students are evaluated on didactic assignments, examinations and clinical assignments ( 90-100% A, 80-89% B, 70-79% C, 60-69% D, below 60% E). Practice skills are judged at the end of each rotation according to predetermined and assigned competencies (A - E). Students cannot pass the clinical experience with a grade below C. X. Attendance Policy Supervised Practice Hours: The absence policy of the practice site will be observed by the intern. Planned absences must be mutually agreed upon by the site preceptor and the internship director. If an absence is required due to emergencies or illness, the involved preceptor must be notified as soon as feasible ( In most cases by 7 AM). Absences other than planned or emergency will be noted as poor performance and will appear on the evaluation form. Arrangements for make-up times must be made with the facility preceptor where the absence occurred in order to complete the required practice hours for the rotation. The internship director must be informed of these arrangements.

Didactic Hours: Days unavoidably missed during didactic or orientation times are to be made up before the program is completed. Make-up is as follows: for each day missed, the intern may complete one of the following:

1. Read and abstract five research articles from professional/refereed journals on topic assigned by the instructor.

2. Complete a four-page review of literature on a topic in one area of

           dietetics. (The articles used in 1 may not be used a second time.)  
3. Attend an all-day conference sponsored by the hospital or professional organization and submit a typed report on the conference. XI. Academic Honesty Dishonesty on examinations or other course activities will result in a "E" for the course. Any plagiarism or submitting assignments of or shared with another student will result in a grade of zero for the project or paper and could result in failure of the course. XII. Text and References

To be selected from publications current in the year 2002.

XIII. Prerequisites

Admission into the Murray State University Dietetic Internship Program and NTN 600.