Integration and Leveling of Nutritional Principles in Traditional ASN Nursing Curricula

Nutrition is an integral part of health promotion, disease prevention and treatment across the lifespan (Buxton & Davies, 2013). Research indicates that nutritional education is lacking in pre-licensure nursing programs (Stotts, Englert, Crocker, Bennum, and Hoppe, 1987). Most pre-licensure programs require a prerequisite nutrition class, which provides only basic information with little clinical integration (Buxton & Davies, 2013).

Fragmented nursing concepts such as nutrition influence the learner’s ability to formulate linkages between theory and clinical practice (McGrath, 2015). Fragmentation occurs in traditional nursing curricula where content overlaps but fails to demonstrate appropriate leveling (McGrath, 2015). Research indicates that this problem persists into clinical practice, where most nurses were found to be deficient in basic nutritional knowledge (Buxton & Davies, 2013).

Fragmentation is avoided when content is integrated into the nursing curricula, as in competency based nursing education. However, many nursing schools continue to embrace a traditional curriculum. Nutritional content may be integrated into this type of curriculum as well. The following represents a sample of nutritional content with appropriate leveling in an ASN curriculum:

Core Nursing Course	Bloom’s Taxonomy	Student learning Outcome (Didactic/Clinical)	Teaching Strategy
Fundamentals	Remember Comprehend	1. Examines personal dietary intake and nutrient content 2. Identify components required to meet optimal nutritional standards 3. Identify appropriate nutritional support for optimal patient outcomes	1. Dietary Recall and self-reflection 2. Develops appropriate meal plan based on dietary recall and self-evaluation. 3. Skills demonstration of nutritional support modalities; determine safe and effective feeding of diverse patients
Adult Health I	Application	1. Assesses influence of disease on nutrient absorption 2. Identifies diagnostic tests which identify nutrient deficiencies	1. Disease specific concept maps 2. Examine patient laboratory data for discrepancies. 3. Formulate an appropriate teaching plan
Adult Health II	Analysis	1. Analyze patient data and develop nutritional plan based on disease processes 2. Interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure optimal patient outcomes 3. Demonstrates evidence based principles in nutritional education	1. Comprehensive nutritional assessment 2. Ensure appropriate patient consults 3. Providing patient specific nutritional teaching

Appropriate nutrition is one of the most important long-term determinants of health. Nutrition is an integral component of all nursing programs. Leveling content is important to ensure progression of knowledge, which ultimately influences safe and effective care in nursing practice.