The Nutritional Care Nurse Career

A nutritional care nurse works hand in hand with a nutritionist in advising the public on areas regarding food and how it impacts one's health. There are many people who are physically ill because they lack proper knowledge in nutritional matters. Some of the common diseases that are associated with food include obesity, anemia, kwashiorkor, beriberi and heart failure among others.
In some countries such as the United States, a large portion of the population is suffering from nutrition-related sicknesses, basically because of unhealthy eating. On the contrary, in some less developed countries especially in Africa, many are ill because of eating food that is not a balanced diet. All these show the importance of a nutritional care nurse.
A nutritionist care nurse is involved in tasks such as planning nutrition and food programs for patients, supervising as the patients' food is being prepared as well as overseeing when the meals are being served. Their major duty includes preventing nutrition-related sicknesses. They do this by advocating and encouraging people to embrace eating habits that are healthy. In addition they, together with nutritionists, recommend nutritional modifications that are necessary for their clients.
Many large institutions usually hire a nutritional care nurse who often conducts research and then educates the recipients on ways to eat healthily. For example, if a nutritional care nurse realizes that a child is ill she will advise the mother not to give her or him junk food.
To become a nutritional care nurse, one should have gotten good grades in high school especially in science subjects such as biology, microbiology, physiology, biochemistry and chemistry. One may also be encouraged to take psychology and sociology. One will also be required to pursue a bachelor's degree in foods and nutrition, dietetics or in food service systems management.
In the United States of America alone over 280 degree programs have been endorsed for those who aim at pursuing Dietetics education. In addition, one must have completed a general nursing course. Different countries have different legal requirements regarding nutritional care nursing and in many a practicing license is required. This means one must sit for an exam and pass in order to prove that he or she has the necessary skills and knowledge in this field so as to be in a better position to give dietary care to those in need.
Before one can sit for the pre-certification exam, he or she will be required to go through a supervised internship in a nutritionist's office, in a refugee camp, or in institution where healthy eating habits are required. This internship may take a period of one or two years, with some being full time and others part-time.
After the internship and certification, one may opt to work in a private or public institution. Others have furthered their education to become nutritionists, with others taking up managerial positions in institutions or organizations that deal with food or those that consider healthy eating a priority. Most government agencies and NGOs provide jobs for nutritional care nurses.