Advancing Clinical Privileges for Nutrition Support Practitioners: The Dietitian as a Model

The specialty of nutrition relies heavily on trained practitioners to assess patient nutritional status, define nutritional goals, and recommend therapeutic strategies to achieve those goals. To facilitate the timely delivery of nutrition care, the dietitians at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center expanded clinical privileges. With the support of the Nutrition Department, the multidisciplinary Nutrition Support Service, and the Nutrition Advisory Committee, dietitians write orders for diets, oral and parenteral nutrient supplementation; and custom mix parenteral nutrition solutions, tube feedings, transitional feedings, balance studies, blood glucose monitoring, and home care orders (parenteral and enteral). Dietitians also order laboratory tests such as chemistries, indirect calorimetry, and bone densitometry. Clinical privileges are a permanent part of each dietitian's appointment to the Health Professional Staff and are granted by the Chancellor/Dean of the Medical University.