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Course number and title: NHM 463W Community Nutrition
Course description: Nutrition assessment of individuals and groups; provision of nutrition services in the community.
Credit hours: 3
Schedule: Monday, 2:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Clock hours per week: Didactic 3
Instructor(s): Olivia W. Kendrick, Dr.P.H., R.D.
Office: 206-D Doster - office hours by appointment
Telephone number(s): 348-9146
E-mail: OKENDRIC@CHES.UA.EDU
FAX: 348-3789
Homepage: bama.ua.edu/~okendric
Prerequisites: NHM 201, 363

Areas of interest: Case studies / Professional development portfolio / Course evaluation / Late assignments /Attendance policy

1. Knows resources for delivery of nutrition care in community programs.
2. Knows principles of effective oral and written communication and documentation.
3. Knows fundamentals of human relations and group dynamics.
4. Knows techniques of interviewing and counseling.
5. Knows principles of education and effective methods of teaching.
6. Knows fundamentals of quality assurance.
7. Knows laws, regulations, and standards affecting dietetic practice.
8. Knows influence of socioeconomic, cultural, and psychological factors on food and nutrition behavior.
9. Knows energy and nutrient needs for various stages of the life cycle.
10. Knows principles of menu planning for optimal nutrition of individuals and groups in health and disease.
11. Knows principles of nutrition screening, assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, and documentation.
12. Knows fundamentals of the political and legislative process.

Course objectives: By the end of the course, the student will be able to describe:

1. The funding sources, benefits, and eligibility criteria of government and privately sponsored community programs that are related to nutrition.
2. The unique problems of impoverished groups within America and discuss the effects of national nutrition policy on these groups.
3. The influence of socioeconomic, cultural, and psychological factors on food and nutrition behaviors of groups of persons within the U.S.
4. The national nutrition monitoring efforts of the U.S. government including the purpose, techniques, and findings of each survey.
5. The purpose of a community assessment and the existing sources of data that can be used to implement one.
6. The legislative process within the U. S. and effective ways to impact that process.
7. Appropriate methods of nutrition assessment of persons of various ages.
8. The purpose and process of quality assurance in delivery of community nutrition services.
9. The purpose and process of program evaluation.
10. The operation and functions of a county or area health department.
11. Methods to develop and evaluate appropriate nutrition education materials and presentations for a specified target group.

Required text(s) and/or major references:
Boyle MA and Morris DH. 1994. Community Nutrition in Action. West Publishing Co.
Other readings as assigned.

Written Assignments:
This course carries the "W" designation that partially fulfills the University Core Curriculum writing requirement. In order to pass this course, you must demonstrate the ability to write clear, coherent, and carefully edited prose. Failure to do so will result in a grade of "F" for this course, regardless of your ability to perform in other aspects of the course. Writing assignments include an article written for a newsletter or newspaper that is due the 6th week of class and a paper that is due the last class day before dead week. Both assignments are described below. These assignments will be graded for content and writing. All written assignments must be typed. References should follow the style used by the Journal of The American Dietetic Association.

Case Studies: /go to pregnant adolescent case study / go to infant case study / back to areas of interest /
Two case studies will be assigned during the first month of class. Each case study will describe a typical client whom you might counsel in a public health department. Answer the questions in the case studies in complete sentences and provide detailed information that would benefit the client. For example, if the client needs to increase her dietary intake of iron suggest specific ways she might do this rather than saying that she should eat more iron-rich foods.

Professional Development Portfolio: / back to areas of interest /
The second writing assignment is to complete the professional development portfolio included in your course packet. Complete the portfolio for a position you hope to hold within the next two years.

Course Evaluation: / back to areas of interest /

Academic misconduct:
All acts of dishonesty in any academic work constitute academic misconduct. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to cheating and plagiarism. The Code of Academic Conduct and Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Procedures will be followed in the event that academic misconduct occurs. Students should refer to the Student Affairs Handbook that can be obtained from the Student Life Office in Ferguson Center. On January 1, 1984, The American Dietetic Association implemented the Standards of Professional Responsibility. These Standards address the ethical expectations of each member of the profession as the Association seeks to fulfill its mission to the general public, to the field of healthcare, and to the membership. Standard 8 of this document states, "The American Dietetic Association member conducts him/herself with honesty, integrity, and fairness." Understanding the importance of honesty and integrity at the level of student preparation to the viability of each professional and the profession, the Coordinated Program in Dietetics at The University of Alabama supports this Standard wholeheartedly. To this end, any student enrolled in the Coordinated Program in Dietetics who is found guilty of any act of academic misconduct will be immediately removed from the program, as well as subject to the penalties imposed according to the guidelines of The University of Alabama Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy.

Early administration of final exams:
The Department of Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management follows the schedule of examinations printed in the schedule book. The policy of The University of Alabama is not to allow the early administration of final exams. The Department adheres to this policy.

Make-up exam policy:
Make-up exams are highly discouraged. They will be given only to those students who were excused prior to the time the exam was scheduled. Taking a make-up exam is a privilege, not a right, and will be granted only in rare circumstances. In most cases, make-up exams will be given during the scheduled final exam period.

Late Assignments: / back to areas of interest /
All assignments submitted late will be penalized three points for each class day that they are late. A weekend will be considered as two class days.
Students taking this course by QUEST will have one extra week to complete assignments.

Attendance Policy/Class Participation: /back to areas of interest /
Students are expected to attend class. If a student must miss a class, it is his or her responsibility to obtain the information from that class. Students may not miss hours scheduled at clinical facilities. Students are expected to have completed reading assignments before class and to participate in class.

Mechanism for coordinating the didactic and supervised practice:
NHM 463/464 These courses are coordinated by the instructors teaching both the didactic and the supervised practice course. For example, students review in class (NHM 463) effective methods of dietary counseling and critique a video of dietary counseling; they are assigned to health departments for their supervised practice (NHM 464) where they interview and counsel clients; the next week they discuss those experiences in class and relate them to the discussions held in class the preceding week.

Dr. Olivia W. Kendrick / okendric@ches.ua.edu / back to Dr. Kendrick's home page