Clinical dieticians

We are four clinical dieticians at Steno Diabetes Center working with diabetes teams in the outpatient clinic, the type 2 clinic, the outpatient pregnancy care clinic, the youth clinic, the diabetes unit in Rigshospitalet and the outpatient ward.

The aim of our work
Personal dietary counselling of our patients to enable them to balance food, physical exercise and insulin in everyday life and at social events with a view to securing optimal pleasure, wellbeing and health while taking into consideration their personal preferences and lifestyle.
Our nutritional guidance is based on the recommendations issued by the European group of experts—the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group (DNSG) of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.
 
Work areas
The major part of our work concerns:

• Giving nutritional advice to patients through personal consultations at the outpatient clinic.
  A dietician is attached to each diabetes care team. Patients have the option of a short-term, dietician-monitored programme and/or a consultation with the dietician if needed.
• Special programmes, e.g., hypertension or dyslipidaemia, where the team collaborates on the treatment.
• In the type 2 clinic, reviewing patients’ food and exercise habits and help in setting personal targets, which are followed up by patients attending courses or personal consultations. The dieticians and nurses collaborate to achieve optimal diabetes management.
• Weekly morning consultations at the diabetes unit at Rigshospitalet.
• Work in the outpatient pregnancy care clinic, the youth clinic and the insulin pump clinic. A dietician is attached to each clinic.
• Participation in interdisciplinary arrangements targeted towards treatment or education.
• Efforts to maintain continuity in the care team for patients admitted to the outpatient ward.

Specific assignments

• Nutritional counselling of patients
• Participation in team meetings, patient consultations and professional specialist meetings
• Internal education to update team knowledge
• Preparation and selection of teaching and information material
• Teaching on courses arranged by Steno Education Center
• Participation in external teaching and events 

Work placement
In cooperation with the Capital Region of Denmark, Steno offers work placement experience in clinical nutrition for undergraduates from Suhrs Seminarium.

Courses, further education and congresses
The needs and wishes for further education are determined during employees’ annual appraisal interviews.
We aim to be a leading body within dietary counselling for people with diabetes in Denmark. To achieve this, the Steno dieticians have taken part in a range of educational activities in recent years.