[NST Club Activities] On-campus event "Nutrition management to support those receiving home care" held!

"Nutrition management to support home care patients" with a visiting nurse certified nurse and a nutrition support specialist therapist

On December 11th, the university's extracurricular activity group, the NST (Nutrition Support Team) Club, held an event on the theme of "Nutrition Management to Support Home Care Patients." Yukiko Sakamoto, a certified visiting nurse and NST specialist therapist from Ako Municipal Hospital/Ako City Visiting Nursing Station, was invited to give a Lecturer and discuss case studies.

The lecture provided an easy-to-understand explanation using specific examples, covering topics such as the content of home nursing and the actual situation in the field, the actual nutritional management in home care, swallowing assessment and swallowing training, key points in nursing instruction, the concept of nutritional support, and the role of the home care team made up of multiple professions. It was a valuable opportunity to hear practical talk about the perspectives and ideas that are unique to home care, which differ from hospital care.

In the second half of the session, a case study was conducted, and a team of students from three faculties and departments shared their opinions from the perspectives of various fields, including nutrition, nursing, and dentistry, based on an actual case handled by Sakamoto. The students engaged in a lively discussion, just like in an actual conference, while gaining a real understanding of the difficulty and importance of home nutrition management, which takes into account the lifestyle, family, and economic situation of the users.

The representative, Akane Fujiwara, a third-year student Faculty of Health and Nutrition commented, "I learned that when it comes to nutritional management at home, unlike in a hospital, it's important to look at the patient's lifestyle. When visiting, you need to carefully understand the meal contents, environment, and who is cooking, and think about how to interact with the patient and their family. I realized that registered dietitians are required to provide optimal nutritional therapy that takes into account the patient's lifestyle and financial situation, as well as the ability to explain things in a way that is convincing. In the case study, we discussed effective support from the perspectives of nutrition, nursing, and dentistry, and I was able to learn the perspectives of other professions, just like in an actual conference."

Yoshida Keito, also a third-year student Faculty of Health and Nutrition reflected, "I strongly felt the importance of multi-disciplinary teamwork in supporting patients receiving home care. I was particularly impressed by what I learned about continuous oral and nutritional support, and the use of innovative nutritional supplements that are unique to the home setting. Even though medical nutritional assessments are difficult, I learned that having a registered dietitian involved at home can lead to improvements in quality of life and conditions, and I felt the importance and reward of home nutritional management."

This event was a very valuable opportunity to consider the activities of the NST from the perspectives of "nutritional management for students undergoing treatment" and "home nursing."
The NST Club will continue to develop practical skills and a team medical perspective through opportunities to learn about nutrition, medicine, and care from a variety of perspectives.

(Source: Osaka Otemae Campus Student Affairs Division)