[NST Club Activities] On-campus event "Supporting Eating - Learning about Eating and Swallowing through Nutrition and Nursing" will be held!

"Supporting Eating: Learning about Eating and Swallowing through Nutrition and Nursing" will be held over two days
Our university's extracurricular activity group, the NST (Nutrition Support Team) Club, held an event over two days, November 13th and 17th, with the theme "Supporting Eating: Learning about Eating and Swallowing through Nutrition and Nursing."

This initiative, which invited experts from both the registered dietitian and nurse fields, was a practical learning opportunity unique to our university, carried out in collaboration with Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Global Nursing, and the Junior College Department of Oral Health Sciences.

■ November 13th: Lecture and case study by a registered dietitian
On the first day, we invited Tomoya Imaizumi, a registered dietitian who works in nursing homes for the elderly and a graduate of our school, to give a lecture on "eating and swallowing" specifically for elderly people in nursing homes, and to conduct a case study to consider what kind of diet and nutritional intake is optimal based on information such as blood test data, medical history, physical condition, required nutritional amounts, and physical activity levels.

Through the lectures and case studies, participating students had the opportunity to learn practically about the feeding and swallowing challenges specific to nursing care settings, as well as the importance of working with other professionals in environments where NST organizations are not in place, such as collaborating with nurses, caregivers, and speech-language-hearing therapists.

■ November 17th: Lecture and case study by certified dysphagia nurse
On the second day, Mitsumori Toshinori, a certified nurse specializing in eating and swallowing disorders, gave a lecture on "Eating and swallowing for people living with illness and team care through multidisciplinary collaboration" and conducted a case study.
After watching a video on the mechanisms of eating and swallowing, the participants worked on three practical cases, deepening their learning by considering from multiple angles what constitutes a "safe and individualized diet" for patients.
In particular, it was a valuable opportunity to gain perspectives that are essential for future professionals, such as the difference between "taking in nutrition" and "eating," a perspective that takes into account the background of patients and their families, and the role of nurses in situations where dental team intervention is difficult in oral care.

■ Participant comments
Mei Watanabe, a second-year student Faculty of Global Nursing said, "I learned that 'taking in nutrition' and 'eating a meal' are not the same thing. In multi-disciplinary collaboration, even if the goal is the same, the approach and assessment differ depending on the profession. There is not just one option, and different opinions are not wrong. I also learned that 'knowing the patient's background and thinking from the patient's perspective' leads to individualized nursing."

Akane Fujiwara, a third-year student in Faculty of Health and Nutrition and representative of the NST Club, reflected on the two-day event, saying, "I learned about the importance of eating from the perspectives of a registered dietitian and nurse, and was able to deepen my practical knowledge about nutritional intake and eating/swallowing. I realized the importance of being supportive of patients and their families and of multi-disciplinary collaboration, and I was reminded that eating is not just about replenishing energy, but also about enjoying life, and that oral intake is important for improving quality of life and maintaining function. In the future, as a hospital registered dietitian, I would like to interact with patients carefully, collaborate with multiple professions, and contribute to care that respects the patient's wishes."

Hiromi Fujii, Dean of Faculty of Global Nursing who participated in the event, encouraged the participating students, saying, "No matter what field you go to in the future, I hope you will use the experience you gained in the NST Club during your university days, learning about the existence and roles of multiple professions, to fill in the gaps in your team's specialized skills, and become people who can think about what they can do and take action."

This event was a rare collaboration between three faculties and departments at our university, and it was a valuable opportunity for students to broaden their perspectives as professionals and learn practically. The NST Club will continue to engage in activities that deepen practical learning about "multi-professional collaboration."

(Source: Osaka Otemae Campus Student Affairs Division)