Core, Clinical and Ethical Competences of Dietitians/Nutritionists in Palliative Care

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Dietitians/nutritionists ́ professional competences in Palliative Care have been poorly investigated. Thus, to dietitians/nutritionists develop their jobs with scientific and technical rigour based on an ethical point of view it is necessary that they have their professional competences very well defined. OBJECTIVES: To identify a set of professional competences of dietitians/nutritionists in the field of Palliative Care. METHODOLOGY: Systematic literature review in Pubmed, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, and Web of Science. RESULTS: A set of 32 publications were found and analysed. From these publications the competence were identified and grouped in the following dominions: 13 core competences, 30 clinical competences, 18 ethical competences. CONCLUSIONS: Dietitians/nutritionists are the professionals who aggregates knowledge and expands the technical competences of nutritional care and support in Palliative Care.