"Mindful Eating and Role-Playing" in Clinical Nutrition Teaching

The student of the Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, acquires theoretical knowledge and develops critical skills in the whole subjects conforming the Degree. In the last period of their studies, during the practicum, they improve communication, listening, empathy, and open-minded psychonutritional skills which will be a valuable key for their future professional progress. All these skills give the student the tools to grow in responsibility, to learn values, and to carry a wealth of experience to face the world of work with determination and maturity. In this context, the academic syllabus of the Nutrition subject includes the application of theoretical nutritional knowledge for the resolution of clinical cases implementing a theoretical approach. Here it is presented how the theoretical case activities in the nutrition practice sessions were adapted through ROLE-PLAYING including MINDFUL EATING guidelines. This practice had the intention of working on decision-making, communication, listening, and nutritional evaluation management skills, from a more real perspective as the student implements it with their colleagues and in a clinical nutrition environment. For this purpose, students were divided into groups on which one had the role of the nutritionist and the other as a patient, according to the guidelines files prepared for this by professors of the subject. It was necessary to previously assay on the different roles assigned for each group and to elaborate recording videos which served as a model of the practice to follow. The activity was carried out at the Center for Interdisciplinary Simulation of Health of the University of Valencia, recently created. In this sense, the role of the professor was to facilitate the student the knowledge and improvement as clinical nutritionist skills in three aspects: to collect and manage clinical information; to analyze and assess the data resulting from listening and managing the nutritional evaluation and to propose nutritional advice. The activity practice was highly accepted and evaluated by the students as it was revealed with the great involvement in working and implementing theoretical knowledge and communication skills.