Educational Offer - Degree Courses

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Academic year 2022/2023
Bachelor's Degree (BSc) on DIETISTICS

Coordinator Prof. Domenico Di Raimondo
Class of Bachelor's Degree (BSc) on Technical health professions (L/SNT3)
3 years
PALERMO
Number of seats in national planning: 50
Department of Health promotion, maternal-child, excellence internal and specialist medicine “G.D’Alessandro”
Course Code
2209

Course info
Graduates in Dietistics are, pursuant to law no. 251, Article 3, paragraph 1 of August, 10, 2000, health professionals in the technical area carrying out, with professional autonomy, activities aimed at the prevention, care and safeguard of individual and collective health, applying the technical procedures needed for the implementation of diagnostic methods on biological materials or on the individual, or technical-assistance activities, in accordance with the provisions concerning the identification of the figures and the relevant professional profiles defined by the decree of the Minister of Health. Graduates in Dietistics have adequate competences in basic disciplines, enabling them to better understand the most important elements that underpin the evolutionary, adult and geriatric age pathologies, upon which they carry out their nutritional technical intervention. They must also be able to use at least one language of the European Union, besides Italian, in the specific area of competence and for exchanging general information. Within the profession of Dietician, graduates are healthcare professionals carrying out the duties assigned by the Decree of the Ministry of Health of 14 September 1994, no. 744, and subsequent modifications and additions; they are competent for all activities aiming at the proper application of nutrition, including the educational aspects and the collaboration in the implementation of food policies, in compliance with current legislation. In particular, graduates in Dietistics, depending on their training paths, must reach the professional competence below described and specified. The achievement of professional skills is obtained through theoretical and practical training, also including the acquisition of behavioural skills and is achieved in the specific context of the profile so as to guarantee, at the end of the training course, full command of all the necessary skills and their immediate usability in the work environment. Particularly important, as an integral and qualifying part of vocational training, is the practical training and apprenticeship activity, carried out with the supervision and guidance of specially assigned professional tutors, coordinated by a teacher belonging to the highest professional training level and corresponding to the standards defined at European level, if existing. Educational programme The training course is organized in six semesters and provides theoretical-practical teachings through lectures, exercises, educational workshops and seminars related to basic and clinical subjects; In particular, vocational training in the specific professional sector (MED/49) in the clinical field (nutritional activity for patient groups, inpatients, ambulatory discharge, specialist activity for pathologies, hospital hygiene and catering activities, assessment of body composition, measurement of energy expenditure), in the territory (maternal-infant care, home-based nutrition, etc.), in collective catering for school meals, rest homes, etc. Appropriate coordination actions during the course year (horizontal co-ordination) and across the different years of the course (vertical coordination) will be implemented, enabling the discussion and critical interaction about the project with the teachers of the various subjects. The course educational regulations define, in compliance with the regulatory limitations, the share of the total hours of study available to the student for personal study or other individual training activities. In general, frontal teachings provide knowledge to address traineeship experiences. Core subjects are concentrated in the first year of the course and ensure the acquisition of the cognitive tools needed to develop the training programme that will continue in the following years through class-specific subjects. The latter, mostly present in the second and third course year, aim at providing the cultural elements to understand the various clinical areas in which nutritional intervention is carried out. Class-specific subjects are also aimed at the understanding and organization of dietary treatment and prevention through nutritional intervention, including the description and understanding of social and relational dynamics - with the patient as well as among the various professionals - contributing to the well-being of individual patients or specific population groups. The latter will be the prevailing goal of the third year of the course. Related disciplines provide knowledge enriching the training on nutrition issues or on other issues necessary for professional work in the healthcare sector. Mandatory professional internship is a qualifying element of the educational offer, because it allows students to deepen specific and professional skills, with responsibility and autonomy, in a different context than the classroom exercises. Educational objectives and professional training aim at achieving the highest quality through a continuous evolution of the training standard of students as future professionals. The internship will be evaluated through the following tools: - Evaluation forms, examining the general, behavioural and professional aspects in relation to the objectives, completed by the tutor and shared by the student; - The training record as another reference to better understand the experience. Agreements with healthcare companies and collective catering companies guarantee an internship as adequate as possible to all real working facilities. At the end of the three-year period, graduates in Dietistics will acquire the knowledge and technical skills enabling them to fit in in companies and institutions of the clinical area, the food industry and collective catering. Graduates will also acquire the learning skills necessary to undertake specialist studies.
Profile: DIETICIAN Functions: Dietistics graduates, hereinafter referred to as Dieticians, are healthcare professionals in the technical-medical area who, with professional autonomy, carry out activities aimed at the prevention, care and protection of individual and collective health by using planning-by-objectives methods in the assistance in the development, adult and geriatric age, in pursuance of the provisions of the regulations concerning the figure and the related professional profile defined by decree of the Ministry of Health. They use scientific principles and methodology in the study of nutrition and apply these results to their profession. They are competent for all aspects of human nutrition in terms of health and well-being. Dieticians organize and coordinate specific activities related to nutrition in general and diets in particular; they cooperate with the bodies in charge of the protection of the nutrition service; they elaborate, formulate and implement the diets prescribed by physicians and control the patient's compliance; they collaborate with other professionals in the multidisciplinary treatment of eating disorders; they study and elaborate the composition of food rations satisfying the nutritional needs of population groups and plan the organization of community catering for healthy and sick people; they carry out educational activities. Dieticians, in particular, must possess: Generic skills Organization, management and professional autonomy They must: - Participate in the organization, management and development of dietary services; - Participate in the organization and choice of different ways of supplying hospital food and other nutritional supplements, and participate in drawing up the menu; - Understand the structure of clinical nutrition or hospital nutrition services, and know how to identify the dietician's tasks within multidisciplinary teams; - Maintain and upgrade their competence and professional skills, understanding the importance of life-long and independent training and long-term professional development. - Know how to draw up reports, summary papers, reports, and to compile clinical records related to their professional activity; - Apply the procedures of quality assurance processes; - Practice the profession according to the principles of social justice and respect for individuals, customs, religions and cultures, taking into account the influence these may have on nutrition and lifestyle. Professional relations and collaboration, communication and counselling Dieticians must: - Establish and maintain effective relationships with patients; - Be able to appropriately use ITC related to their profession and to disseminate nutrition and lifestyle issues; - Counsel patients using the most appropriate and scientific-based methods; - Practice the profession being able to work in teams with other professionals, identifying the limits of their profession and the situations in which patients need to report to other professionals. Research and practice based on scientific evidence. Dietitians must: - Be able to evaluate scientific discoveries and have the ability to apply them in clinical practice; - Know how to apply and integrate the dietetic, social and educational sciences; - Be able to interpret, with a critical approach, the results of nutrition research and scientific evidence; - Know the main databases of scientific journals and know how to use the correct sources of international scientific information to make clinical decisions based on scientific evidence. Specific skills: Biosciences and preliminary knowledge Dietitians must: - Understand the mechanisms underlying the processes determining the nutritional status of humans; - Know the main processes involved in nutrition and in the use of nutrients; - Understand the structural and biological characteristics of macro- and micro-nutrients; - Understand the main elements of genetics with particular reference to nutrition; - Understand the structure and function of the human body with respect to the different phases of life and to the main acute and chronic pathological conditions; - Understand general statistics and its possible applications in health sciences; - Understand the foundations of psychology and of the bio-psycho-social interactions impacting on human behaviour and nutritional status; - Understand the anthropological and sociological evolution of diet, nutrition in health and disease contexts. Public Health Promotion and Health Promotion Dietitians must: - Understand the basic characteristics of the national healthcare system; - Understand the bases of public health and collective nutrition; - Know how to plan and participate in prevention campaigns in clinical nutrition; - Promote healthy life styles through educational interventions aimed at the population; - Promote and maintain appropriate hygiene and food safety practices, and know risk control and limitation systems; - Be able to evaluate exposure to chemicals through diet; Understand microbiological and parasitological aspects ; - Participate in the organization and management of canteen and catering services for different communities; - Be able to evaluate, monitor and manage food chains and traceability factors; - Understand aspects related to the economy and management of the food industry; - Collaborate in planning policies for the promotion of food education; Dietetics knowledge: Dieticians must: - know how to identify and classify foods; - Understand the functions and bioavailability of nutrients, nutritional needs, know the recommended rations, the energy balance mechanisms; - Be able to integrate and synthesize critically the knowledge derived from several disciplines useful in professional practice, with particular reference to the food-individual-environment interaction; - Be able to explain to the patient the impact of the diet on health and well-being; - Understand the basic processes of food preparation as well as on the processing and preservation of animal and plant derivate products; - Be able to prepare, interpret and use food composition tables and diet databases; - Implement dietary processes, including screenings, anthropometric measurements of population, identify the needs of particular groups, formulating goals, planning, implementing interventions, and evaluating objectives achieved. Diagnostic and Therapeutic Management of Individuals Dieticians should: - Understand and know how to meet the patient's needs even in complex conditions related to the state of disease, to environmental exposure, in individuals, groups, organizations and populations and according to gender; - Get to the correct diagnosis on the basis of the analysis and interpretation of collected clinical data and of anthropometric and nutritional assessments in health and illness situations at all stages of life; - Translate recent research results into dietary recommendations; - Provide patients with information about the diet they are taking, and contribute within the team to establish nutrition administration routes: natural, parenteral and enteral, and to choose the more appropriate nutritional formulas or preparations for artificial nutrition; - Anticipate, discuss and manage possible complications; - Check the effectiveness of the applied diagnostic and therapeutic tools; - Be able to identify and evaluate qualitative and quantitative deviations of the nutritional balance due to excess or deficiency; - Understand the pathophysiology of nutrition-related diseases; - Identify dietary and nutrition problems of patients, as well as risk factors and inappropriate practices; - Understand and use the adequate terminology of the field of health sciences; - Understand nutraceuticals and know the interactions between drugs and nutrients. Practical activity Dieticians should: 1) Have acquired the ability to use computer systems for: - data collection and storage, - graphic creation and word processing, - processing of dietary protocols and menus, - collection and selection of bibliographic material, - management of information flows on service activity, 2 )Be able to recognize the qualitative and organoleptic traits of raw foods and their transformation resulting from conservation and cooking; 3) Be able to visualize the weight and volume of food; 4) Know the functioning of a model structure in the hospitality industry (hospital and school catering) 5) Write evaluation reports on catering facilities; 6) Know the operation of a cooking centre for hospital complexes, following all stages of preparation of special diet and diets; 7) Know how to use and apply food flavour tables; 8) Be able to compile lists of nutrients equivalents; 9) Know how to calculate nutritional needs for age groups; 10) Be able to identify food rations for age groups; 11) Know how to make interviews about dietary habits; 12) Be able to write a report containing the processing and evaluation of the collected data; 13) Be able to propose information events for population groups; 14) Be able to participate in a nutritional epidemiological survey 15) be capable of participating in the development of a health education plan at all stages: design, preparation, analysis, methodology, definition of objectives ,programming, implementation, evaluation of results; 16) Know how to perform plicometrics, bioimpedence and muscle strength tests; 17) know how to gather patients’ nutrition history including overall and single nutrient energy supply; 18) know how to calculate and formulate dietary patterns for patients with pathologies; 19) Be able to carry out diet explanatory interviews with the patient; 20) know how to follow cases of anorexia and bulimia in several stages of treatment in a multidisciplinary team 21) Be able to follow, within a multidisciplinary team, patients undergoing bariatric surgery; 22) know how to set nutritional treatment differentiating by pathology including the phases of: description and evaluation of the case, definition of objectives, choice of operating methods, verification criteria; 23) know how to interpret biochemical analyses of the nutritional status, 24) know the restorative procedures of: - customized meals booking - breakfast/meals distribution - dinner-cart assembly - temperature sensing at the heart of the food product, with respect to sealed mono-portions packaging, through dedicated digital thermometer. Skills From the information gathered during the stakeholder talks, it emerged that graduates in Dietistics may carry out their professional activity in public or private healthcare facilities and services as employed or freelancer. They can carry out their professional task of dietary and nutritional advice within public or private healthcare institutions, in the field of catering and catering services. The professional contribution of the Graduate in Dietistics is also required at companies operating in the agri-food chain. Recently, Dieticians are also required in companies dealing, at various levels, with thermal and aesthetic medicine. In short, Dieticians can find employment in: - the public health sector (hospitals and healthcare agencies) - private healthcare (nursing homes and polyclinics, private practice) - private practice in associate medical clinics - collective catering companies - food companies They may also continue their studies in 2nd cycle degree courses or 1st level University Master Courses. Professional opportunities: Graduates in Dietistics, who are in charge of the assignments provided by the DM. Of the Ministry of Health 1994, No. 744 et subsequent amendments and additions, carry out their professional activity in public or private healthcare facilities, in the territory and in home care, as employees or private practitioners; they contribute to the training of support staff and directly contribute to the updating of their professional profile and to research.
Pursuant to Article 6, paragraph 3 of Legislative Decree no. 502/1992 and subsequent amendments, and art. 6 of the Interministerial Decree of 19 February 2009 (Definition of the classes of university degrees in health professions), the final exam of the Degree Course qualifies for professional practice. The final exam consists of the preparation of a written dissertation and in the assessment of practical skills and is organized in two sessions, on dates set by a decree of the Ministry of University and Scientific and Technological Research In agreement with the Ministry of Health. The final examination is awarded with 6 credits. The subject of the thesis can be: a) Compilation: analysis and discussion of a general or specific issue of the degree course in Dietistics through literature data; b) Experimental: setting up a subject of study and execution of a specific research plan. To be admitted to the final exam, students must: Have attended all the teaching courses and have passed the relevant examinations; Have obtained 174 CFU; Have submitted in time a special application for the award of the thesis to one of the teachers of the course; Have submitted, in time and manner defined by the secretary's office, a specific application to the Rector and any other required documents Have submitted the required number of copies of the degree thesis to the teaching secretariat at least 30 days prior to the scheduled date for the discussion. The Board for the final examination, pursuant to art. 7 of the DM 19/02/2009, is composed of not less than 7 and not more than 11 members, nominated by the Rector on the proposal of the Board of the Degree Course, and includes at least 2 members appointed by the professional Board. The dates of the sessions are communicated to the Ministry of University and the Ministry of Health who can send experts, as their representatives, to the individual sessions. If the above components are not appointed by the Ministries, the Rector appoints them.

course outline
Teachings first year
credits Term Val. Area Scientific sector
18947 - BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES - INTEGRATED COURSE Details LEONE (PA) 6.0 1 V
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY FRINCHI (RD) 3.0 A BIO/09
HUMAN ANATOMY WITH ELEMENTS OF HISTOLOGY LEONE (PA) 3.0 A BIO/16
21907 - BIOLOGY AND NUTRITION - INTEGRATED COURSE Details CONIGLIARO (PA) 6.0 1 V
BIOLOGY CONIGLIARO (PA) 3.0 A BIO/13
BASIC DIETARY AND NUTRIGENOMICS SCIENCE MIRISOLA (PA) 3.0 B MED/49
22366 - BASIC AND NUTRITION SCIENCES - INTEGRATED COURSE Details EMANUELE (PA) 7.0 1 V
DIETARY SCIENCE FOR COMMUNITY 3.0 B MED/49
BIOCHEMISTRY EMANUELE (PA) 2.0 A BIO/10
PHYSICS APPLIED TO NUTRITION INNOCENTI (RD) 2.0 A FIS/07
04731 - FOREIGN LANGUAGE (ENGLISH) Details 3.0 2 G E
05209 - MICROBIOLOGY AND GENERAL PATHOLOGY - INTEGRATED COURSE Details DI MARCO (PO) 8.0 2 V
GENERAL PATHOLOGY MERAVIGLIA (PA) 3.0 A MED/04
MICROBIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY CAPRA (PA) 2.0 A MED/07
GASTROENTEROLOGY I DI MARCO (PO) 3.0 B MED/12
18948 - FOOD CHEMISTRY AND PRODUCTION - INTEGRATED COURSE Details FARINA (PO) 6.0 2 V
FOOD CHEMISTRY DI STEFANO (PA) 3.0 B CHIM/10
VEGETAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS FARINA (PO) 3.0 C AGR/03
18982 - PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE I Details 20.0 2 V B MED/49
Teachings second year
credits Term Val. Area Scientific sector
08544 - MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SCIENCES - INTEGRATED COURSE Details PANTUSO (PO) 9.0 1 V
INTERNAL MEDICINE TUTTOLOMONDO (PO) 3.0 B MED/09
TECHNICAL DIETETIC SCIENCEFOR CLINICAL NUTRITION BUSCEMI (PO) 3.0 B MED/49
GENERAL SURGERY PANTUSO (PO) 3.0 A MED/18
08611 - PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE II Details 10.0 1 V B MED/49
22364 - PSYCHIATRY AND ANTHROPOLOGY - INTEGRATED COURSE Details 5.0 1 V
PSYCHIATRY LO BAIDO (PA) 2.0 B MED/25
DEMOETHNOANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDIES MONTES (RU) 3.0 A M-DEA/01
57005 - IMAGE DIAGNOSTICS AND RADIOTHERAPY Details LA GRUTTA (PA) 3.0 1 V C MED/36
08521 - PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE III Details 10.0 2 V B MED/49
18945 - HUMAN SCIENCES AND NUTRITION OVER THE LIFE CYCLE- INTEGRATED COURSE Details CORSELLO (PO) 7.0 2 V
PAEDIATRICS CORSELLO (PO) 2.0 B MED/38
PHYSICAL AND REHABILITATION MEDICINE IN THE NUTRITIONAL AREA LETIZIA MAURO (PO) 2.0 B MED/34
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM DISEASES NOVO (PA) 3.0 B MED/11
18949 - MEDICAL AND DIETARY SCIENCES - INTEGRATED COURSE Details BUSCEMI (PO) 9.0 2 V
ENDOCRINOLOGY TOMASELLO (RD) 3.0 B MED/13
GASTROENTEROLOGY II PETTA (PA) 3.0 B MED/12
APPLIED TECHNICAL DIETETIC SCIENCES FOR PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND CLINICAL METHODOLOGY BUSCEMI (PO) 3.0 B MED/49
Teachings third year
credits Term Val. Area Scientific sector
08105 - STATISTICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE - INTEGRATED COURSE Details 5.0 1 V
MEDICAL STATISTICS 3.0 A MED/01
INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEMS 2.0 B ING-INF/05
09787 - OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES Details 6.0 1 G F
18944 - DIETETICS, NUTRACEUTICALS AND ONCOLOGY - INTEGRATED COURSE Details BUSCEMI (PO) 8.0 1 V
PHARMACOLOGY BRANCATO (RD) 2.0 B BIO/14
MEDICAL ONCOLOGY INCORVAIA (RD) 3.0 B MED/06
FOOD AND CHRONIC-DEGENERATIVE DISEASES GIAMMANCO (PA) 3.0 B MED/49
18946 - HYGIENE, BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND SOCIOLOGY - INTEGRATED COURSE Details COSTANTINO (PA) 8.0 1 V
GENERAL AND APPLIED HYGIENE COSTANTINO (PA) 3.0 B MED/42
BUSINESS ORGANISATION 2.0 B SECS-P/10
GENERAL SOCIOLOGY FRAZZICA (PA) 3.0 B SPS/07
18983 - PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IV Details 10.0 1 V B MED/49
15186 - SPECIALIST PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP Details 3.0 2 G F
18943 - MEDICAL BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES - INTEGRATED COURSE Details BUSCEMI (PO) 9.0 2 V
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 3.0 B M-PSI/08
PHYSICAL EDUCATION METHODS AND TEACHING METHODOLOGY DI RAIMONDO (PA) 3.0 B M-EDF/01
DIETETICS METHODS IN MEDICAL-NUTRITIONAL CARE BUSCEMI (PO) 3.0 B MED/49
22355 - FINAL EXAMINATION 6.0 2 G E
22374 - INTERNSHIP V Details 10.0 2 V B MED/49
ADO Group of subjects 6.0 D
Explaination
Term Term/Semester
Val. Valutation: V = mark in 30/30, G = note
(*) Teaching attended in english
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