[NST Club] We held an on-campus event: "Nutritional Management and Team-Based Medical Care to Support Recovery"!

On June 22nd, the NST (Nutritional Support Team) Club held an on-campus event titled "Let's take a peek into the world of NST! ~Nutritional management and team-based medical care that support recovery~".

For this event, we invited Ms. Ayano Nagano, a certified nurse specializing in feeding and swallowing disorders, and Ms. Mariko Hanaoka, a registered dietitian, from Nishinomiya Kyōritsu Neurosurgery Hospital in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, who kindly assisted us with a field trip in February of this year, as guests to give a lecture on the role of the Nutrition Support Team (NST) and the importance of nutritional management.

In February, the NST Club visited the hospital and observed an actual NST conference. This event was held to further deepen that learning, and it was an extremely valuable opportunity to continue learning from professionals who are active in the field.

In the lecture, the speaker clearly explained, drawing on actual clinical experience, the impact of malnutrition and dysphagia on patients' recovery and quality of life (QOL), as well as the role of the Nutrition Support Team (NST), where multiple professionals collaborate to support patients. The participating students listened attentively, taking diligent notes, and deepened their understanding of the importance of nutritional management in the medical field.

In the simulated NST conference session, students learned how nurses, registered dietitians, and other professionals approach patients and develop support plans based on a case of aspiration pneumonia. By learning about the different roles and perspectives of each professional, the students gained a more concrete understanding of the significance of interprofessional collaboration.

During the Q&A session, in response to a question about what kind of preparation students should do, we received a warm message: "First, develop an interest. Even if nurses are just aware of nutrition, the way they interact with patients will change significantly. The activities of the NST club itself are valuable learning experiences that will be useful in the future."

Furthermore, we received practical advice for students aspiring to careers in healthcare, such as, "It is important to know what kind of expertise other professionals possess, and connecting patients with the appropriate professionals according to their condition is the first step in interprofessional collaboration," and "Nurses interact with many different professions, so communication skills are also essential."

Haruka Hayashi, a fourth-year student in Faculty of Global Nursing who participated in the event, commented, "I learned that oral intake is not only about nutritional supplementation, but also plays a significant role in improving patients' QOL (quality of life). I also realized that 'observational skills' are a common quality required in multidisciplinary collaboration, and that not overlooking even the slightest changes in patients is crucial in clinical practice. I would like to apply what I learned today to my future clinical training." For the students, this was an opportunity to realize the importance of "viewing each patient from multiple perspectives and supporting them by bringing together each person's expertise."

The NST Club will continue to value its connections with healthcare professionals and actively create opportunities for practical learning about multidisciplinary collaboration and nutritional management.

Following our field trip in February, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone at Nishinomiya Kyōritsu Neurosurgery Hospital, including Dr. Nagano and Dr. Hanaoka, for once again providing us with valuable time for our students' learning.

(Source: Student Affairs Division Osaka Castle Campus)