Celebrating National Nutrition Month: The Vital Role of Registered Dietitians in Supporting Our Veterans
With March being recognized as National Nutrition Month, it is essential to acknowledge the remarkable contributions and commitment of our team of Registered Dietitians (RDs) at the VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System.
Our dedicated team of 20 RDs provides over 23,000 Veteran encounters each year, evaluating their nutritional needs in both inpatient and outpatient settings, while also providing crucial educational support.
Dietitians play a critical role in the care of Veterans at our facility. Some RDs work in the inpatient setting, caring for Veterans admitted to the Medical Center and those residing in our Community Living Centers, while others provide one-on-one and group-based medical nutrition therapy and weight management counseling. Still others provide in-home care to Veterans within the Home-Based Primary Care team, and dialyzed Veterans receive specialized kidney-friendly nutrition from an advanced practice renal dietitian. Each Veteran receives individualized care, which may encompass dietary education, counseling, and adaptations based on personal dining preferences and treatment needs.
Registered Dietitians are especially crucial for Veterans requiring specialized nutrition interventions, such as tube feeding, modified texture diets for individuals with swallowing difficulties, or customized supplementation to meet vitamin-mineral needs and avoid food-drug interactions. Proper nutrition is essential for effective wound healing and for preventing and addressing dehydration and malnutrition, among other health issues.
Outpatient dietitians offer individualized or group dietary education and counseling. For instance, they assist veterans undergoing dialysis in managing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or weight through the MOVE!® Weight Management Program. Each MOVE!® Weight management group is led by a Registered Dietitian, who engages the Veteran in finding their “why”- to answer the question “Why do I need my health?” Through a 12-week series, 1 hour duration sessions, the RDN MOVE!® group leader helps the Veterans to become equipped with evidence-based practices to help meet their nutrition goals. These dietitians provide ongoing support, guidance, and goal setting for Veterans via face-to-face appointments and video classes. Trained in behavior-change counseling, dietitians empower Veterans to identify their motivations for pursuing dietary changes.
FNCVACHCS also has RDs who also serve within the Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) program. These dietitians are responsible for delivering care directly to Veterans in their homes, catering to those who are unable to attend appointments at VA facilities. The healthcare team, which includes dietitians, visits these Veterans to provide nutrition counseling and coordinate nutrition-related care, like the services offered by inpatient and outpatient dietitians. As Jennifer Krafft, a HBPC Dietitian noted, “The HBPC RDN can see the Veteran in their own environment vs the sterile environment of the hospital or clinic settings. Those RDNs can fully assess the etiologies that may be impacting the Veteran's overall health, nutritional status, and quality of life.” highlighting the complexities involved in home-based care.
Learning to cook can be a pivotal step toward incorporating healthier foods into your diet. The Healthy Teaching Kitchen (HTK) program equips Veterans with essential nutrition knowledge, cooking skills, and hands-on practice, fostering confidence in preparing healthy, minimally processed meals at home. This class is hosted in 6-week cohorts on a virtual platform, by Tammy Peterson-MOVE Coordinator, and Joshua Moore, RD who notes that “what Veterans appreciate most about the class is how surprisingly easy the menu items are to prepare, as well as the positive energy from the instructors.” In 2024, over 600 Veteran encounters occurred within HTK- equipping Veterans to prepare fresh vegetables and fruits, and low-sodium, added-sugar-conscious menu items- all in a cost-saving, healing manner- for Veterans and their families. Veteran seeking further information about this initiative should reach out to their Primary Care Provider for referral to the MOVE program to get started.
In addition to these direct patient care roles, dietitians also engage in various behind-the-scenes functions, including management and supervisory positions in kitchen operations, as well as providing expertise on committees focused on initiatives like Whole Health and Health Promotions and Disease Prevention outreach.
“Veterans within VA have at their disposal, a dietitian partner in their health journey. RDNs bring a unique skill set and ability to connect science with ‘what should I eat?’ with ‘How I can nourish and fuel my body for me to thrive?’ and ‘how do I get there, from where I am now and what’s important to me right now?’” expressed LaCrystal Matlock, Registered Dietitian.
Nutrition services are available through Veteran self-scheduling by Contacting the Call Center: (910) 488-2120 x 0207816, or by informing their PACT team for referral.