Each fall, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics hosts the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE), the world’s largest gathering of food and nutrition experts. This year, FNCE brought together hundreds of dietitians from across the nation in Minneapolis, MN.
Compass One Healthcare was proud to have several of our dietitians actively participate in the conference. While many attended to gain valuable insights from industry leaders, some stepped into the spotlight as presenters, sharing their expertise with peers.
Following the event, we had the opportunity to connect with a few of our dietitians who spoke at FNCE to hear about their experiences and key takeaways from connecting with colleagues in the field.
Among the presenters were MHC Division President Mara Whitesell and Sr. Director of Nutrition and Wellness for CCL, Jenny Overly with their session moderator Amy Downey, Menu Database and Project Director, who joined a panel discussion on productivity and strategies for optimizing healthcare staffing.
Jamie Epting, System Director of Clinical Nutrition with Morrison Healthcare, RCNM, contributed to a session focused on maximizing the role of dietetic technicians, offering valuable insights on this critical area of clinical nutrition.
Q: Can you share a summary of the session you presented? What was the key takeaway for attendees?
Amy: “A lot of attention surrounds understanding what’s important to your audience. If the administration is making cuts in other departments, it’s unlikely they will be able to increase staff in your department. Be prepared to show what can be gained from increasing staff and the possible losses of keeping the status quo. Things like, missed revenue, shuttling education to outpatient centers, declining requests for health fairs or other activities outside of direct-patient care. A manager should also consider screening and follow up policies and streamlining or minimizing charting expectations. There was also a discussion of leveraging EMR capabilities to passively or semi-passively capture data for you about RDN/NDTR productivity to show value and missed opportunities. There was lots of interest in utilizing NDTRs at the top of their scope of practice to maximize RDN productivity. Many programs do not utilize NDTRs but could delegate routine tasks to these professionals.”
Jamie: “In brief, the session explored all the ways NDTRs can be used and trained to support the clinical team. We discussed scope of practice and real-life experiences of a NDTR in clinical practice. I talked about an educational program my regional team developed to help train diet technicians, and another colleague discussed her utilization of NDTRs in her renal practice. The key takeaways were that NDTRs can be trained and used in many areas of clinical practice to support the RDNs, giving them more time to focus on critical areas.”
Q: Were there any interesting questions or discussions that stood out during your session?
Jamie: “ A lot of discussion around getting more NDTR’s registered and in the field, different ways they can be utilized, and how to create more training opportunities for NDTRs.”
Jenny: “Following the session, I had several attendees approach me to share their own experiences. Our information really resonated with them as they struggle showcasing their value and approaching their leadership to propose more RDN staffing. As other RDNs face this challenge, they may find themselves struggling and deciding to leave their positions, thus adding to the shortage of RDNs in senior living.”
Q: What was the most exciting or memorable part of this year’s FNCE for you?
Mara: I really enjoyed seeing many people I haven’t seen for awhile and a few I have worked with for a long time but never met in person. It was nice to have time to reconnect with so many talented RDs.”
Amy: “Connecting with old and new colleagues in real life. I ran into my college advisor who is now retired, Dr. Betty Larson, multiple classmates from college (Concordia College, Moorhead, MN- Go Cobbers!), and current coworkers who live all over the country.”
Jamie: “Being a presenter was an amazing experience. It was really rewarding to work with such a talented team of people, put the whole thing together virtually, and then come together in person to present it. I was overwhelmed by the support from my Compass Group family. When I looked out in the audience and saw the amazing showing from not only my Morrison Healthcare team, but so many other sectors as well. I am blessed to work for a company that has colleagues who support each other.”
Q: Were there any trends or themes discussed at the conference that you think will shape the future of dietetics or healthcare in general?
Amy: “There was a large focus on health equity in all care settings.”
Jamie: “I felt the overwhelming theme, at least to me, seemed to be managing teams when there seems to be a nationwide staffing shortage of RDs. My team spoke about using/training Registered Diet Technicians to help support the RDNs. I attended a session that spoke about streamlining the assessment process to help save time, and another session by our own Compass team that talked about navigating productivity and FTEs for optimal staffing strategies. I believe this topic is important to a lot of RDNs right now as we navigate the current environment of our profession.”
Q: What insights did you gain from other sessions or speakers that you plan to apply in your daily work?
Jamie: “I took a lot from the session on shortening the assessment process. I plan on taking a deeper dive into this and trying to implement some of it with my team to help increase productivity.”
Q: What advice would you give to dietitians for healthcare professionals who are interested in presenting at future conferences?
Mara: “Put yourself out there! I really enjoy public speaking, but speaking at a conference can feel extra intimidating. I was reluctant to do it, and wasn’t sure I had a ton of expertise to offer. Once the session started to come together, it was great to see how each of us had different experiences and perspectives which added to the discussion.”
Amy: “Remember that your work and experiences are valuable. Imposter syndrome is real and pervasive. Topics that may seem routine to you, could be a development area someone else is seeking. A great way to start is by presenting a poster or session at your local or state Academy affiliate or writing an article for an affiliate or DPG newsletter.”
Jamie: “It is an amazing experience and honor to speak to your colleagues. Pick a topic that you are passionate about and apply to speak! You won’t regret it!”
Gisele Leger, Director of Clinical Services was honored with the Excellence in Practice Award for Management by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This award recognizes outstanding RDNs and NDTRs who have demonstrated innovation, creativity and leadership in management. She shared with us what winning this award means to her.
Photo Slideshow Link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGXmsbNbiM/dJp0-57L6HsnSbez5RS8Xg/view
Next year’s FNCE will take place in Nashville, TN October 11-14th. The conference features educational sessions, keynote speakers, scientific posters, and interactive experiences. Call for Sessions 2025 submission has closed. However, If you submitted a session or workshop proposal, you will be notified in March. Compass One Healthcare appreciates all of the hard work our dietitians do to support patient care.
