Working in long term care for over twenty-five years has been rewarding as well as challenging. I’m actually amazed at how many things have changed since I began. When I started out, I felt that there were no clear guidelines for providing nutrition therapy. It seemed as though most dietitians were doing their own thing. This made it very confusing for many of us. Fortunately, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (A.N.D) realized this and launched its Evidence Analysis Library (EAL) in 2004. Academy members reviewed many studies to come up with practice guidelines for dietitians (RDN’S) and Diet Technicians (DTR’S). The outcomes of the evidence-based reviews were labeled as Strong, Fair, Weak, Consensus, and Insufficient Evidence. (1) It is a great tool for nutrition professionals who want to make sound nutritional recommendations. To make the process easier for RDN’s, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics developed a “NutriGuides Mobile” app in 2013 to provide further information. (2) Since today’s world is highly mobile and many students and RDN’s likely have smart-phones, the “NutriGuides” app is an essential tool for practicing utilizing evidenced-based guidelines.
1. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). Evidence Analysis Library (EAL). http://www.eatrightpro.org/resources/research/applied-practice/evidence-analysis-library Accessed April 9, 2019.
2. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). NutriGuides Mobile.
http://www.eatrightstore.org/product/0F87E78B-4F5F-4F27-BDBD-0803429FC63E Accessed April 9, 2019.
