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Dietician Career Resources
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Dietitian Jobs
Dietitians are increasingly important to the fight against the epidemic of weight gain and obesity throughout the US and North America. As the health care debate has show, health care costs have continued to rise while health care benefits continue to fall. Preventative measures provided by dietitians include weight loss, healthier eating habits, better physical fitness, and the prescription of specific nutritional information. Together, dietitians work to alleviate preventable ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, even cancers and much more.
What is a Dietitian’s Job Like?
Dietitians work in a variety of environments providing patients and clients with a wide array of care. The most common places of employment for today’s dietitians are among the following:
- Hospitals
- Long Term Care Facilities
- Public Health Clinics
- Private Practice
- Schools
- Research & Education Institutions
Clinical Dietitians
Clinical dietitians are the most common type of dietitians working in North America today. These professionals often spend their days providing nutritional screening of patients and clients, making assessments of their specific needs and prescribing a diet program. Various aspects of a patient go into a nutritional screening such as age, weight, height and Body Mass Index, or BMI. Then a specific nutritional behavior is taken into account, including present diet, fitness level, allergies or health issues including any medications and any other issues affecting a person’s health including their skin, sight and smell. From this information, a dietitian will be able to assess the needs of the patient and prescribe a diet, including any medications or nutritional supplements that may be beneficial. Dietitians may work closely with doctors or other health care providers to give patients the most complete care.
Hospital Dietitians
Dietitians working in hospitals or care facilities work closely with doctors, nurses and other health care professionals. They many times will consult with others to provide patients with better, more inclusive and well-rounded care. Hospital dietitians work not only with those staying in the hospital but outpatients as well. Many times patients who come in with gastrointestinal or other related ailments will not leave the hospital or clinic without talking to a dietitian about the improvement of their conditions. Doctors rely on dietitians in all types of facilities across North America, from large hospitals to small outpatient clinics.
What Types of Patients See a Dietitian?
Individuals who are most often referred to, or seek care from, a dietitian include overweight or obese individuals, diabetics, people with digestive or gastrointestinal disorders, heart disease or hypertension, people with various cancers and many more. Many others seek the attention of a dietitian during the recovery of an ailment such as surgery, illness or serious injury. The effects of care from a dietitian have been proven multiple times over to help considerably.
Prenatal and Pediatric Dietitians
Many dietitians choose to work with expecting mothers, new mothers and their babies. These dietitians work to prevent any problems during pregnancy, childbirth or early life through nutrition, exercise and any dietary supplements and expertise that can be provided.
Choose the best type of job for you, and request information from any of the schools that provide the type of classes you’re looking for. The demand for dietitians have never been higher.
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