RDN Special Interest Group

All Registered Dietitians (RDN) are ‘nutritionists’ but not all ‘nutritionists’ are RDNs. The RDN credential is granted by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) after completion of masters (formerly baccalaureate) level didactic coursework from an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited degree program, supervised practice through a 9–12-month dietetic internship, and pass the required registration examination for dietitians administered by CDR [The Academy Quality Management Committee 2017].

To maintain the credential, RDNs must complete 75 hours of continuing education every 5 years, which is documented in and approved by the CDR.

To practice in most states, RDNs must maintain active certification or licensure and practice within applicable federal and state laws.

These requirements ensure that all RDNs receive training that meets a set of competencies established by the CDR and are what distinguish RDNs from other ‘nutritionists’ and ‘coaches.

Improve health outcomes!

Comorbidity management: improve nutrition impact health benchmarks. Current research suggests that comorbidity has a significant impact on health outcomes in MS.

Identify the risk of disordered thoughts and/or behaviors around eating that may occur when emotional health and food intersect.

Inform research questions, lead or participate in research team(s).

Outline best practices for nutrition interventions in the MS patient population.

Educate medical students, residents, fellows, and physicians on the Interdisciplinary care team.

Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Interprofessional Education in Nutrition as an Essential Component of Medical Education

Provide educational resources for an interdisciplinary team to use with patients.

Guide interdisciplinary colleagues about when to refer to a registered dietitian.

Distinguish between wellness influencer nutrition advice and clinical nutrition advice.

Include, as a part of their assessments, the social determinants of health. Including but not limited to access to food, care, and providers who understand MS, which are all significant problems, particularly in rural and other underserved areas.

Improve patient Health Literacy, Food Literacy, and consumer nutrition education through the MS lens.

Improve Plain Language Messaging and communication skills around the role of nutrition in health broadly and multiple sclerosis specifically.

Educate and sustain opportunities for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists involved in MS care.

Develop and sustain a network of registered dietitian nutritionists involved in Multiple Sclerosis patient care, research, or public health initiatives.

Provide a platform for networking and exchange of ideas among health professionals.

Facilitate research and adopt best practices related to nutrition and eating behaviors in people with multiple sclerosis.

Engage in advocacy efforts to improve access to conventional registered dietitian nutritionists who provide nutrition care for people living with MS and their families.

Increase awareness of registered dietitians nutritionist contributions to caring for people living with MS and the interdisciplinary healthcare team.

Develop, share, and disseminate clinical nutrition tools and resources.

JOIN NOW

Anyone who is interested in learning more or being a part of this group can go to the new MS-RD webpage. All MS professionals interested in mental health issues are encouraged to join.

Click here to join